Nigerian police on Wednesday said they had arrested and deported a Chinese man who had trafficked 12 tonnes of pangolin scales to China.
Pangolins are among the world's most endangered species and their scales are prized in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy for various ailments, although there is no scientific evidence they have medicinal value.
Nigeria is major hub for traffickers sending their scales to Asia.
Nigerian police said they had "successfully arrested and repatriated a Chinese fugitive, Cai Jinlian" to Shanghai to face wildlife trafficking charges.
The 42-year-old smuggled "approximately 12 tonnes of tree pangolin scales" from Nigeria to China in two consignments between November 2018 and April 2019, police said in a statement.
