Elephant tusks
A born again church pastor was arrested on December 18, last year for wildlife trafficking. He was found alongside two others in illegal possession of 6 elephant tusks. They were attempting to sell the tusks in Yaounde.
The arrest took place during a crackdown operation carried out by wildlife officials of the Center Regional Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife in collaboration with the Regional Division of Judicial Police.
The suspected traffickers were found in possession of 6 elephant tusks concealed in a flour sack in a Yango taxi at the Emana neighborhood. They hired the taxi which took them to the place of transaction shortly before their arrest. The Last Great Ape Organisation also known as LAGA technically assisted during the operation.
They were swiftly marched off to the wildlife office for interrogation and further investigations. According to the facts of the arrest, the pastor was the mastermind of the ring and got the tusks from a former magistrate whose family worship at the Born Again Church. One of the suspects, a close neighbour to the church also played the role of middleman and salesman
Over the last two decades, 3004 illegal elephants have been killed according to the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants program in view of safeguarding African savanna elephants. In the same line, more than 95% of African forest elephants have been lost with less than 2000 remaining as stated by Global Conservation.
Elephants are the world’s largest land animal and play an important role as gardener of the forest helping maintain forest and savanna ecosystem for other species. However, the elephant faces too many threats including poaching that fuels ivory trade.
The government, through the 2024 wildlife law is intensifying efforts to clamp down on illegal ivory trade thus, elephants are totally protected in the country.
The three may face an imprisonment terms of up to 20 years and or pay a fine of up to 50 million FCFA if found guilty according to the provisions of the 2024 wildlife law
