Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted a 40-foot container loaded with donkey genitals along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, in what authorities have described as a major breakthrough in the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking.
Naijaonpoint reports that the interception, which occurred on Friday, June 5, 2025, around 9 pm, was carried out by officers of the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) and the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) following credible intelligence.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, represented by the National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the seizure highlights the increasing involvement of transnational criminal networks in the trade of endangered species for illicit profits.
“This seizure is not an isolated incident,” Maiwada said at the NCS Government Warehouse in Karu, where the consignment was formally handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
According to Maiwada, “Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted a 1x40ft container loaded with donkey genitals along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway.
“The interception was carried out under coordinated surveillance, confirming the persistence of illegal wildlife trafficking networks exploiting Nigeria’s corridors.”
He added that after proper documentation, the seized items were officially handed over to NESREA on Thursday, July 10, 2025, in line with inter-agency collaboration mandates.
Maiwada disclosed that the Special Wildlife Office, created to enforce Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), has recorded multiple seizures across the country in the past year.
Some of the highlights include:
- The rescue of six African Grey Parrots and the arrest of one suspect in Kano on December 10, 2024.
- The interception of two live pangolins, five Mona monkeys, two Tantalus monkeys, one baby baboon, and one African Grey Parrot at Lagos Airport in May 2025.
- The arrest of a suspect in Cross River linked to the seizure of 213 parrot heads, six eagle heads, 128 hornbill heads, and other exotic bird species.
- Seizures of taxidermy items such as lion mounts, zebra hides, gorilla parts, and 119.4kg of pangolin scales concealed in sacks in Calabar.
- The rescue of 120 African Grey Parrots and the arrest of a suspect in Fufore, Adamawa State.
“These figures underscore the scale, sophistication, and profitability of the illegal wildlife trade,” Maiwada noted.
He further warned that wildlife crime is increasingly associated with broader criminal networks involved in money laundering, arms smuggling, and illegal financial flows.
“The Nigeria Customs Service considers this an issue of national importance—not only from an ecological perspective but because it is deeply entangled with other forms of organised crime,” The Customs mouthpiece stated.
Maiwada announced that under CG Adeniyi’s leadership, the Service has intensified capacity building, digital surveillance, species identification, and cross-border enforcement operations.
“Our investment in digital forensics and phone analysis of suspects has strengthened our ability to prosecute offenders, and several cases are currently in court,” he said.
He called on Nigerians, especially those in border communities and transportation hubs, to report suspicious movements of wildlife products.
“We commend the gallant efforts of our officers and partners and assure Nigerians that the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in enforcing the provisions of the NCS Act 2023 and national environmental laws,” Maiwada concluded.