The volunteer contacts local peddlers and finds they sell each pangolin for 15,000 yuan. What's more, they sell rhinoceros horn, pangolin scale, ivory and so on.

The local peddler takes two living pangolins, and he can speak Chinese. The pangolins are in a bag wrapped in two layers; the outer layer is a flour bag with Chinese "Wudeli Flour mill 910 Flour" printed on it, and the inside one is a yellow bag with English characters such as "CHIKUN**". One peddler took two pangolins out of his bag, kicked them with his foot, indicating that they were alive. The volunteer asked, "Are they alive"? One peddler answered "yes", and the other ragged peddler takes a pangolin out of the bag, which has been shrunk into a ball, lifts it up again and throws it on the ground. After the pangolin stretches its stems, the peddler stepped on its tail.

The local peddlers took two pangolins in the afternoon (17:02, the temperature is 34 degree Celsius), and the volunteer planned to release them to the wild the next day.

Two pangolins were found dead. A local person helped to dispose of it. The volunteer said: "It smells stinky. It's over 30 degrees here."

"I am on the way to a wild animal market. It is raining today", CBCGDF's volunteer said, "the market is far from here, so it will take me a while to get there. I will post photos and videos in the group once I arrive."

African Warrior: There is no local law to curb behaviors, like capturing and eating wild animals. I’m not sure whether the government has issued related regulations or not, but there is no sign of wild animal protection here.

One client of my friend shared the WeChat moments, saying these animals are all from the wild.

It is usual for Chinese people in Nigeria to cook wild animal into meals. But few local people do this, even though they are impoverished and hungry. Local people don't eat, but they capture wild animals to sell to the Chinese who have a preference for wild animals.

The picture I sent you is taken in a local Chinese market which sells wild animals. There are turtles and some other unknown animals which all are captured from the wild. I don’t know what species the turtle belongs to and whether it is endangered animals or not.

I will investigate in the market, take photos and collect information as much as I can, and then post them in the group. The policeman who accompanied me is occupied, so I asked a policeman without a gun to go with me today. I go to the market by taxi, and I am not clear how far this place is. Drivers need 20,000 Naira's fare, totaling more than 400 yuan. It's estimated that the journey should be very far. I live in the city, but the market is in the countryside. It's supposed to be a paradise for wildlife: forest ecology along the road was well protected, basically primitive forest, which had not been developed. Local people don't eat wild animals, so no one captured before. Then there is a demand because Chinese people eat wild animals. Local people capture wild animals and sell them to the Chinese to make money.

They are rich no matter in terms of local level or domestic level. They make an investment in local areas, and it is normal to be paid one to two million yuan annually.

Most of the local people are Muslims. They don't eat pork nor wild animals because they have faith. They mainly eat fish.

I feel afraid and shocked. What I saw today is heartbreaking and makes me homesick. By the time I arrived on the market, it was afternoon. Pangolins were sold out, leaving only crocodiles, lizards, snakes, turtles, and a wild animal that like a piggy. Before entering into the market, I was surrounded by peddlers who recognized me as a Chinese and wanted to sell me wild animals, which proves that the popularity of wild animals among the Chinese.

I will find time to answer your questions tomorrow. There are many Chinese, and I am afraid of being heard.

I think Lagos is one of the most prosperous cities in Nigeria. Compared with other cites, Lagos has better infrastructures and conditions. Many Chinese people work and conduct business here. The government also supports the investment programme. Therefore, the security in Lagos is tighter than other cities because of the large population of Chinses people.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF investigating voluneer "African Warrior")

Translated by / Wang Yanqing Modified by / Niu Jingmei