The Nigeria Police Force has arrested and repatriated a Chinese national, Zhang Shijie, who was allegedly wanted by Chinese authorities over the smuggling of about 1,400 tonnes of African Rosewood valued at approximately 15.7 million Chinese Yuan.
The suspect was arrested by operatives of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau, Abuja, on September 10, 2026, in the Ogere area of Ogun State, following intelligence gathering, surveillance and coordinated investigations.
The police said Zhang was subsequently handed over to the Chinese authorities and repatriated to Guangzhou on September 16.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, saying the suspect was wanted by the Yangpu Sub-Bureau of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of the Haikou Customs District in China.
According to the police, a warrant for Zhang’s arrest was issued on January 7, 2021, following alleged smuggling activities involving the endangered timber species between November 2020 and January 2021.
The suspect reportedly fled China after the alleged offence and later entered Nigeria, where he was eventually located in Ogun State.
The police said Zhang had been residing in Nigeria with a Chinese passport which expired on November 11, 2023.
The case centres on the alleged illegal movement of approximately 1,400 tonnes of Pterocarpus erinaceus, commonly known as African Rosewood, a tree species native to West Africa that has faced international restrictions because of concerns over exploitation and trade.
The Nigeria Police Force said the arrest and repatriation were facilitated through INTERPOL mechanisms as part of efforts to prevent Nigeria from becoming a safe haven for individuals wanted for criminal offences in other countries.
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, said the force would continue to strengthen international police cooperation and deploy INTERPOL mechanisms to track and apprehend fugitives linked to transnational organised crime.
Disu, according to the statement, also stressed the importance of collaboration between Nigerian law-enforcement agencies and their international counterparts in combating cross-border criminal activities.
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