By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a container loaded with over ten thousands of Donkey genitals along Kaduna-Abuja high way.
The seizure was announced by the Controller General Of Customs (CGC) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi on Thursday, 10 July 2025, during a press briefing held at the Customs warehouse at its barracks in Karu Abuja.
CG Bashir Adeniyi said the container was abandoned by the said criminals.
Represented by Customs National Spokesperson Assistant Controller of Custom, Abdullahi Maiwada said the seizure is in line with the Service anti- wildlife trafficking operations through the establishment of the Special Wildlife Office (SWO), domiciled within the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU).
According to him, the specialised operation is saddled with intelligence gathering, profiling, investigation, and coordinated enforcement targeting transnational criminal networks that profit from the exploitation of
endangered wildlife species.
CG Adenyi noted that with the support from local and international
partners, the SWO has recorded commendable success.
He said the service men acting on credible intelligence on 5th June 2025, at approximately 2100 hours, made the arrest and investigation is ongoing.
He said the interception was carried out under coordinated
surveillance by officers of the SWO and CIU, further confirming the
persistence of illegal wildlife trafficking networks in exploiting Nigeria’s corridors.
The Custom boss said a proper documentation and compliance with procedure, the seized items will be officially handed over today, Thursday, 10th July 2025, to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations
Enforcement Agency (NESREA) at the NCS Government Warehouse in Karu, Abuja, in line with our commitment to inter-agency collaboration
and statutory mandates.
He said the said seizure is not an isolated incident.
According to him, over the past 12 months, the
Special Wildlife Office has uncovered and disrupted multiple illicit wildlife trafficking operations across the country.
Adenyi said items recovered during the period under review include six African Grey Parrots and the arrest of one suspect on 10 December 2024 at Kano, the interception of two live pangolins, five Mona monkeys, two Tantalus monkeys, one baby
baboon and an African Grey Parrot at Lagos Airport in May 2025.
“In another separate operation, there was an arrest of one suspect in Ikom area of Cross River State linked to seizures of 213 parrot heads, six eagle heads, 128 hornbill heads, and other exotic species.
“On 13 January 2025, the Service handed over rescued tortoises to the National Park Service in Oyo State. Several seizures involving taxidermy specimens, such as life-sized lions, zebra hides, gorilla parts, and pangolin scales have been recorded in various ports and logistics routes nationwide.
” One such case involved 119.4kg of pangolin scales found in a container concealed in sacks around Calabar area of Cross River
State. In another development, 120 African Grey Parrots were rescued
and one suspect arrested in Fufore area of Adamawa State.
Controller Adenyi said these figures underscore the scale, sophistication, and profitability of
the illegal wildlife trade.
He said the Nigeria Customs Service considers this an
issue of national importance, not only from an ecological standpoint alone
Adenyi said this seizure is not an isolated incident. Over the past 12 months, the
Special Wildlife Office has uncovered and disrupted multiple illicit wildlife trafficking operations across the country.
He said the wildlife trafficking is increasingly linked with other forms of organised crimes including money laundering, arms smuggling, and illicit
currency flows.
He said his team is investing in capacity building, digital surveillance,
species identification, and cross-border enforcement frameworks to
combat this menace.
” Our Wildlife Office’s investigations, including digital forensics and phone analysis of suspects, have strengthened
evidence base, with several prosecutions currently underway.
He assured Nigerians and the international
community that the Nigeria Customs Service is resolute in enforcing the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, CITES, and other national environmental laws.
He urge the public, especially those in
border communities and logistics hubs, to report suspicious movements of wildlife products
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