The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’ of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a consignment of pangolin scales and its derivatives weighing 445.45kg and valued at N3.9billion in Kebbi State.
This is coming barely two weeks after the unit impounded consignments of donkey bones and donkey meat worth N3billion.
Comptroller of the unit, Comptroller Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu, disclosed this during a media briefing in Kaduna on Wednesday.
He said operatives of the unit acting on intelligence had stormed a hideout in Zuru Town, Kebbi State, on May 24, 2024,
at about 1600hrs where the scales were discovered.
He said one suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure while the main suspect is still at large.
According to him, the offence contravene Section 55 (1) paragraph C and I of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023.
“Let me once again explain that the pangolin specie is one of the endangered species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and Nigeria is a signatory to the convention.
“It is instructive that Nigeria is signatory to the CITES Convention and all forms of trading in this species are clearly illegal.
The Nigeria Customs Service will continue to partner CITES to forestall the identified species from going into extinction.
“The unit in collaboration with other sister agencies will not rest on its oars until the main suspect is arrested and brought to book,” he said.
Comptroller Shuaibu noted that those involved in the illegal trafficking of endangered species use it to launder money for drugs, arms, and other illegal activities.
“From empirical evidence, we make bold to say that those involved in the illegal trafficking of endangered species are hiding under it to launder money used in procuring drugs, arms and other illegal merchandise. You can imagine the havoc this may have caused if it had escaped the eagle eyes of our operatives, ” he said.
The Comptroller attributed the success of the operation to robust intelligence sharing between the NCS and Wildlife Office, and the resilience of the operatives of the unit to utilize the coordinates given to them to make the arrest without any casualty.
He emphasized that the fight against smuggling is a collective responsibility and urged the public to cooperate with the NCS to salvage the country.
He reiterated the commitment of the unit to enforcing Federal Government policies in line with international best practices, despite any campaign of calumny against the Service.
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