Nigeria Customs Intensifies Wildlife Protection, Seizes Huge Donkey Genital Shipment




ABUJA – July 2025:
In a major crackdown on illegal wildlife trafficking, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially handed over a staggering consignment of 10,603 seized donkey genitals to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in Abuja.

The 40-foot container, intercepted along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway on June 5, 2025, marks one of the largest seizures of its kind in recent memory. According to Customs, the operation was based on credible intelligence and executed through coordinated surveillance by operatives from the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) and the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU).

Wildlife Crimes on the Rise

Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, at the handover was Assistant Comptroller and National Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada. He emphasized that the seizure was not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of escalating wildlife trafficking through Nigerian territory.
“In the last 12 months alone,” Maiwada stated, “the Customs Service has intercepted a wide range of protected species and wildlife products being smuggled within and beyond our borders.”

Notable cases include:

Six African Grey Parrots recovered in Kano (Dec. 2024)

Live pangolins, baboons, and monkeys seized at Lagos Airport (May 2025)

213 parrot heads, six eagle heads, and 128 hornbill heads confiscated in Cross River State

119.4 kg of pangolin scales intercepted near Calabar

120 live African Grey Parrots rescued in Adamawa State


Fighting a Lucrative, Sophisticated Trade

The Customs Comptroller-General stressed that wildlife crime has evolved into a highly profitable and organized global enterprise, often linked to other transnational crimes such as money laundering, arms smuggling, and illicit financial flows.
In line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), and other environmental regulations, the agency reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on wildlife crime.

“The illegal wildlife trade is not just a conservation issue,” Adeniyi said. “It is a matter of national and global security.”

SWO Seizure Stats: December 2024 – June 2025

Presenting detailed statistics, Assistant Comptroller Anuhu Sumaila Mani of the SWO revealed that from December 2024 to June 2025, Customs operatives have intercepted:

6,087.9 kg of pangolin scales

4.15 kg of worked ivory

157 live African Grey Parrots

20 Green Parrots, Senegal Parrots, and 2 Budgies

6 live monkeys and 4 live pangolins

3,022 donkey skins

16 zebra skins and 37 taxidermy specimens

10,603 donkey genitals


The SWO also arrested over 10 suspects involved in these crimes, with one conviction already secured and several prosecutions underway.

“These efforts have seriously disrupted trafficking supply chains and reduced the availability of wildlife products on the black market,” Mani said.

Partnerships and Enforcement Synergy

The Customs Service highlighted the importance of collaboration with other national and international bodies, including:

NESREA

Federal Ministry of Environment

Nigeria Police Force

National Park Service

INTERPOL, UNODC, World Customs Organization (WCO/ICCWC)

NGOs such as Focused Conservation, World Parrot Trust, Greenfingers, and Pandrillus


Receiving the seized items, NESREA Director General, Prof. Innocent Barikor, praised the Customs Service for its sustained vigilance and commitment.

“This seizure demonstrates the crucial role Customs plays in protecting Nigeria’s biodiversity,” Barikor said. “NESREA is fully committed to working hand-in-hand with all enforcement agencies to bring wildlife traffickers to justice.”

Looking Ahead

The Nigeria Customs Service has significantly boosted its capacity to combat wildlife trafficking through the creation of the Special Wildlife Office, strategically placed within its Intelligence Unit. The office focuses on intelligence gathering, profiling, and transnational enforcement against traffickers of endangered species.

As wildlife crime becomes increasingly sophisticated, the Service urges Nigerians, especially those in border communities and logistics hubs, to report suspicious activity related to wildlife movement.

"Together, through vigilance and cooperation, we can protect our environment, enforce the law, and secure our shared future,” the Customs declared.

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