by The Ajasa News | July 11, 2025 11:35 am
By Martin Odiete, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has made significant strides in combating wildlife trafficking, with recent seizures and arrests underscoring its commitment to protecting endangered species. At a press briefing held to showcase the service’s latest efforts, the Nigeria Customs highlighted its achievements in disrupting wildlife trafficking networks.
At the press briefing and handover ceremony held on Thursday, 10th July 2025, at the NCS Government Warehouse, Karu, Abuja, the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, announced that the items were seized through coordinated operations by the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) and the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), acting on credible intelligence.
‘On June 5, 2025, NCS operatives intercepted a 40-foot container loaded with donkey genitals along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway, further evidence of the persistence of illegal wildlife trafficking networks in Nigeria.
In the past 12 months, the NCS’s Special Wildlife Office has uncovered and disrupted multiple illicit wildlife trafficking operations, including:
Recovery of African Gray Parrots: Six parrots were recovered, and one suspect was arrested in Kano on December 10, 2024.
Pangolins and Monkeys: Two live pangolins, five Mona monkeys, two Tantalus monkeys, one baby baboon, and an African gray parrot were intercepted at Lagos airport in May 2025.
Pangolin Scales: 119.4 kilograms of pangolin scales were found concealed in sacks around Calabar, Cross River State.
Rescue of African Gray Parrots: 120 parrots were rescued, and one suspect was arrested in Fufuri, Adamawa State,” he stated.
NSC also highlighted that they were able to combat wildlife trafficking through, establishment of Special Wildlife Office within the Customs Intelligence Unit to gather intelligence, profile suspects, and conduct coordinated enforcement operations, collaborate with local and international partners, including the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), which has deepened intelligence sharing and led to high-profile seizures and successful prosecutions and investing in digital surveillance, species identification, and cross-border enforcement frameworks to combat wildlife trafficking.
He concluded that all these efforts have resulted in significant seizures and arrests, disrupting wildlife trafficking networks and sending a strong message to would-be traffickers. With over 25 tonnes of pangolin scales seized through joint efforts with the WJC since 2021, the NCS is making a tangible impact in the fight against wildlife trafficking.
Source URL: https://theajasanews.com/donkey-genitals-seizure-nigeria-customs-service-intensifies-crackdown-on-wildlife-trafficking/
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