•Seizes 10,603 donkey genitals, hands consignment to NESREA

James Emejo in Abuja

The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, yesterday declared that wildlife trafficking has become increasingly linked with other forms of organised crimes including money laundering, arms smuggling, and illicit currency flows.

Adeniyi also disclosed that the service had intercepted a 40 foot container loaded with 10,603 donkey genitals along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway.

Speaking during the seizure and handover of donkey genitals intercepted at the Customs Government Wharehouse Karu, Abuja, he said the interception was carried out under coordinated surveillance by officers of the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) domiciled within the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU).

Adeniyi, said the seizures further confirmed the persistence of illegal wildlife trafficking networks in exploiting Nigeria’s corridors.

Represented at the occasion by the Assistant Comptroller of Customs, National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Abdullahi Maiwada, the CGC explained that after proper documentation and compliance with procedure, the seized items will be officially handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), “in line with our commitment to inter-agency collaboration and statutory mandates”.

He said the seizure was not an isolated incident, explaining that the SWO had in the past 12 months, uncovered and disrupted multiple illicit wildlife trafficking operations across the country.

According to Adeniyi, the recoveries included six African grey parrots and the arrest of one suspect on December 10, 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.

He said in 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.

Furthermore,  on January 13, 2025, the service handed over rescued tortoises to the National Park Service in Oyo State.

Also, 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.

He said one such cases 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.

Adeniyi said, “These figures underscore the scale, sophistication, and profitability of the illegal wildlife trade.

“The Nigeria Customs Service considers this an issue of national importance, not only from an ecological standpoint but also because wildlife trafficking is increasingly linked with other forms of organised crimes including money laundering, arms smuggling, and illicit currency flows.”

He said under his watch, the service is investing in capacity building, digital surveillance, species identification, and cross-border enforcement frameworks to combat the menace.

He said the SWO’s investigations, including digital forensics and phone analysis of suspects, have strengthened customs evidence base, with several prosecutions currently underway.

He said the confiscations further demonstrated customs unwavering commitment to protecting endangered species, preserving biodiversity, and upholding the country’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The CGC further notes that in recent years, the NCS had scaled up its anti-wildlife trafficking operations through the establishment of the SWO.

He said, “This 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.

“With support from local and international partners, the SWO has recorded commendable success.

“We work in active partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which has provided dedicated warehouses in selected locations across Nigeria for secure storage of intercepted specimens.

“Similarly, the service collaborates with Focus Conservation, the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), and maintains joint task force engagements with key domestic and international security agencies, including NDLEA, EFCC, Nigeria Police Force, Interpol, as well as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), among others.

“These partnerships have deepened intelligence sharing, leading to high profile interceptions and successful prosecutions.”

In his remarks, Head of Special Wildlife at the NCS, Assistant Comptroller General, Anuhu Mani, said the service aimed to expand its reach by strengthening legal frameworks, as well as foster greater regional and international cooperation to deal with the increasing threats to wild life in the country.

He said, “While we celebrate our successes, we acknowledge that much work remains. The threats of wildlife crime continue to evolve, demanding our ongoing vigilance and innovation.

“Moving forward, we aim to expand our reach, strengthen legal frameworks, and foster greater regional and international cooperation.”

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