Accra (Greater Accra) 23 Feb. 2000
An Accra Tribunal on Tuesday authorised the Accra Zoo to take possession of a huge crocodile seized from a Nigerian herbal trader on Monday.
A combined team of the police and Wildlife Officers arrested Alhaji Ashiru Aliru, the Nigerian herbal trader, near the Centre for National Culture in Accra for using the reptile to sell his herbal medicine.
The tribunal granted the authority following the refusal of Alhaji Aliru's agents to release the crocodile because "Aliru is the only person who can release the reptile".
Aliru has been remanded in police custody to reappear on 28 February on a charge of possessing and trading with crocodiles, an endangered specie.
At the zoo, it took the Nigerian who was escorted by the Police, about three hours to get the reptile out of the van.
He "talked" to the animal for nearly an hour, trying to bring the reptile out but it would not budge. This infuriated the Wildlife Officers who had to put pressure on the Nigerian before he brought the reptile down from the van.
GRi../