A new investigation by Mongabay has revealed that the illegal trade in gorilla and chimpanzee body parts in northeastern Nigeria is far more widespread than previously believed, posing a major threat to some of the world\u2019s rarest great apes.<\/p>\n
Journalist Orji Sunday spoke directly with hunters, traffickers, and buyers to uncover just how far the trade extends\u2014and how deeply embedded it is in local tradition and desperation.<\/p>\n
According to Mongabay, the trade is most devastating for the critically endangered Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), a subspecies found only in remote forests on the Nigeria-Cameroon border.<\/p>\n
With fewer than 300 individuals left in the wild, even one death is catastrophic. Official estimates suggest three Cross River gorillas are killed each year, but local hunters claim the number is likely higher. Shockingly, some report killing gorillas in Taraba state\u2014an area where the species isn\u2019t even known to live\u2014raising fears that other gorilla populations may be moving into the region or going undetected.<\/p>\n
Former hunter Benjamin Dauda shared his experience, explaining how financial hardship led him to kill a gorilla in 1997. He described the emotional trauma that followed, saying, \u201cIt was exactly like a human being\u2026 I was shivering.\u201d Though Dauda later gave up hunting, the market continues to thrive.<\/p>\n
In southeast Nigeria\u2019s Ose market, one trader told Mongabay that it\u2019s easy to find 50 to 100 ape heads for sale at a time. While some healers are turning to animal alternatives like goat or cow parts, high prices are still fuelling demand for wild apes\u2014pushing these species ever closer to extinction.<\/p>\n