The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has raised alarm over the growing nexus between wildlife trafficking and other transnational crimes, revealing that the illicit trade is now closely tied to money laundering, arms smuggling, and illegal financial flows.
Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made the disclosure on Thursday during the official handover of a 40-foot container loaded with 10,603 donkey genitals, intercepted along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway, to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
Represented by the NCS National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, Adeniyi said the seizure, carried out by the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) within the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), underscores the persistence of illegal wildlife trafficking networks exploiting Nigerian routes.
“These figures underscore the scale, sophistication, and profitability of the illegal wildlife trade. It is not just an ecological issue; it is a matter of national security,” Adeniyi warned.
Wider Crackdown Across Nigeria
The CGC revealed that the NCS has, over the past year, conducted numerous successful wildlife enforcement operations, including:
Interception of six African grey parrots and one arrest in Kano (December 2024)
Rescue of live pangolins, monkeys, and parrots at Lagos Airport (May 2025)
Seizures of parrot, hornbill, and eagle heads in Cross River State
Confiscation of life-sized lions, zebra hides, gorilla parts, and pangolin scales across multiple ports
Rescue of 120 African grey parrots in Adamawa State
A particularly high-profile case involved 119.4kg of pangolin scales, concealed in sacks, discovered in Calabar.
Adeniyi reaffirmed NCS’s dedication to protecting endangered species, preserving biodiversity, and meeting Nigeria’s commitments under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Tackling Wildlife Crime with Technology and Partnerships
The service is currently investing in digital surveillance, species identification, and cross-border intelligence, with ongoing prosecutions supported by digital forensics and suspect phone analysis.
The CGC credited recent operational success to partnerships with groups like the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), Focus Conservation, and domestic law enforcement bodies such as the NDLEA, EFCC, and Interpol.
“With inter-agency support, we are not only seizing illegal wildlife but also dismantling the networks behind them,” said Assistant Comptroller General Anuhu Mani, Head of the Special Wildlife Office.
He added that the NCS would be scaling up its reach by tightening legal frameworks and strengthening regional and international cooperation.
“The threats evolve, and so must our strategies,” Mani stated.
