After being detained in Ogun State for allegedly smuggling endangered African rosewood valued at over 15.7 million Chinese Yuan, Zhang Shijie, a Chinese national, was returned to Guangzhou, China, by the Nigeria Police Force.
Since an arrest warrant was issued on January 7, 2021, Zhang has been sought by the Yangpu Sub-Bureau of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of the Haikou Customs District in China.
Zhang was accused of being involved in the smuggling of over 1,400 tonnes of Pterocarpus erinaceus, also known as African Rosewood, an endangered tree species endemic to West Africa, according to a statement from the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu.
Zhang stayed outside of China after the alleged acts were committed between November 2020 and January 2021.
Later, intelligence revealed that he was living in Ogun State, Nigeria, and that his Chinese passport had expired on November 11, 2023.
“Operatives of INTERPOL NCB Abuja arrested the fugitive on September 10, 2026, in the Ogere area of Ogun State, following sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance, and coordinated investigative efforts,” Iniedu stated.
In an effort to promote bilateral police collaboration, he was returned to Guangzhou on September 16, 2026.
IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, the Inspector-General of Police, reaffirmed the Force’s dedication to bolstering international police collaboration and utilising INTERPOL instruments to trace fugitives and fight transnational organised crime.
“To strengthen cross-border security, disrupt transnational criminal networks, and ensure that fugitives are brought within the reach of justice, the Nigeria Police Force remains committed to working with INTERPOL and international law-enforcement partners,” the statement continued.
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