In continuation of its efforts to beat back the illicit exploitation of donkeys in the country and stimulate the sustainable prosperity of donkey skin, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), has destroyed 1, 500 pieces of outbound donkey skin worth N67 million.
NAQS impounded the cache of donkey skin during several rounds of raids on hideouts used to store donkey skin ready to be trafficked out of Nigeria.
Speaking to newsmen, the Director of Operations, NAQS, Assistant Comptroller General of Quarantine Dr. Sunday Audu said the agency has ramped up its intelligence gathering and surveillance of late because the individuals behind the unabated onslaught on donkeys in Nigeria have escalated their aggression.
Adding that the material value of donkey skin is on the rise because it is becoming difficult to source and this has become an incentive for the dealers in this contraband product to go all out against live donkeys.
Dr. Audu stressed that NAQS was not, in any way, opposed to trading in donkey skin but that the Agency was against the ceaseless exploitation of donkeys without restocking a practice that, if not checked, would drive the endangered species to extinction.