The Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, has intercepted endangered wildlife products, 25,295 litres of petrol and other prohibited items with a combined Duty Paid Value, DPV, of ₦362.2 million during anti-smuggling operations.
The seizures, recorded over the past six weeks, include 64 raw donkey skins, 534.55 kilogrammes of dried donkey meat, 220 kilogrammes of pangolin scales and 74 kilogrammes of ivory tusks, according to the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Tako.
Tako disclosed this on Wednesday at a news conference in Yola, where he said the seizures followed intelligence-led operations conducted along strategic routes within Adamawa and Taraba states.
He said the operations were aimed at disrupting cross-border smuggling networks, protecting the national economy and preventing the illegal movement of restricted goods out of the country.
Among the petroleum products seized were 25,295 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol, concealed in 1,003 jerrycans and a 220-litre drum.
The command also intercepted a DAF low-bed truck conveying a Sanny motor grader, which was allegedly being illegally exported to the Republic of Chad.
Other seizures included nine kilogrammes of cannabis sativa and a Toyota Hiace bus allegedly used to convey some of the prohibited items.
According to Tako, the cumulative DPV of the seized goods stood at ₦362,204,543.91. He said five suspects had been arrested in connection with the seizures and would be prosecuted after the completion of investigations.
The Customs Area Controller said the operation was conducted under the relevant provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, the Common External Tariff and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES.
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The seizure of wildlife products comes amid Nigeria’s continuing efforts to curb the illegal trafficking of endangered species.
CITES records show that Nigeria has previously been linked to major international seizures of pangolin scales and ivory, highlighting the country’s role in illicit wildlife-trafficking routes.
The scale of the latest seizure is also significant because pangolin scales and elephant ivory are among wildlife products targeted by international efforts to combat illegal trade.
Nigeria has previously destroyed large quantities of confiscated wildlife products, including more than 3.9 tonnes of pangolin scales in 2023 and 2.4 tonnes of ivory in 2024.
The Customs Service has also previously identified the exportation of raw donkey skin as prohibited under Nigeria’s tariff regime and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Tako said the seized donkey skins would be destroyed immediately in collaboration with relevant government agencies, in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
He warned smugglers to abandon their illegal activities, stressing that the command would sustain its crackdown on petroleum smuggling, wildlife trafficking and other forms of economic crime.
Despite its enforcement activities, the command said it remained committed to facilitating legitimate trade across the two states while dismantling networks involved in illicit cross-border activities.
Tako commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, the management of the service, sister security agencies and officers of the command for their support and professionalism in the operations.
NAN
