Customs intercepts 718 donkey skins worth over N24m in Adamawa
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘D’, Bauchi, has seized 718 donkey skins valued at over N24 million in Mubi, Adamawa State.
The Comptroller of Customs in charge of the unit, Abdullahi Ka’ila, disclosed this on Tuesday during a news conference in Bauchi. He said the seizure followed credible intelligence and coordinated enforcement operations carried out on December 26.
According to Ka’ila, Customs operatives intercepted a vehicle transporting the prohibited items and subsequently detained both the driver and the owner of the consignment for further investigation.
He explained that the trade and exportation of donkey skins are prohibited under Nigerian law, with relevant regulatory oversight from agencies such as the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS).
The comptroller added that the seizure also aligns with Nigeria’s obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which seeks to protect endangered species from extinction through international trade.
Ka’ila said investigations were ongoing and that the suspects would be prosecuted in line with the NCS Act 2023 and other applicable environmental laws.
He noted that the operation reflects the service’s zero-tolerance policy against smuggling, as directed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and warned that illegal wildlife trade poses serious threats to biodiversity, rural livelihoods and national economic interests.
“The Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘D’ remains committed to enforcing trade and conservation laws. Nigeria will not serve as a transit point for wildlife crimes,” he said.
FOU Zone ‘D’ covers Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Gombe, Taraba, Plateau, Nasarawa and Yobe states.
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