The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Thursday announced the seizure of a 40-foot container loaded with prohibited wildlife products, specifically 10,000 donkey genitals, along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway.
The operation which took place on Friday, 5th July 2025, was made possible through the coordinated efforts of officers from the Customs Intelligence Unit under the Special Wildlife Office (SWO).
The intercepted items were handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) at the NCS Government Warehouse in Karu, Abuja.
Addressing journalists at the handover press briefing, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, said: “This seizure is not just another operation, it is part of our national mandate to dismantle trafficking networks and protect endangered species in line with Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).”
Adeniyi, who was represented by the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Assistant Comptroller, Abdullahi Maiwada, pointed out that, “We are here today because we understand that protecting the environment is a collective responsibility, and we remain committed to interagency collaboration and global accountability in this fight.”
He explained that the Special Wildlife Office, established within the Customs Intelligence Unit, has been instrumental in scaling up enforcement through intelligence gathering, profiling, investigation, and coordinated cross-border operations.
These efforts, he said, are undertaken in partnership with national and international organisations such as the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Focused Conservation, the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), and enforcement bodies like NDLEA, EFCC, the Nigeria Police, INTERPOL, and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“The WCS has been a particularly valuable partner,” Adeniyi said, adding, “providing secure warehouses for intercepted specimens and supporting intelligence-led operations across the country.”
In his remarks and vote of thanks, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Anuhu Samaila Mani, Officer-in-Charge of the Special Wildlife Office, further underscored the Service’s determination.
“Since inception, our mission has been clear: to protect Nigeria’s rich biodiversity and uphold our obligations under international conservation agreements,” Mani said.