The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone D, Bauchi, has seized 718 pieces of donkey skins with an estimated value of over ₦24 million, allegedly smuggled out of the country.
The Zonal Comptroller, Abdullahi Kaila, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists at the unit’s headquarters in Bauchi on recent anti-smuggling operations.
According to him, the seized items have a Duty Paid Value of ₦24,313,217.
“The cumulative Duty Paid Value of the seized donkey skins stands at Twenty-Four Million, Three Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventeen Naira,” Kaila said.
He explained that the interception was carried out in line with the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale, who has mandated all commands to maintain zero tolerance for the illegal trade in endangered species.
“This operation forms part of our broader responsibility to curb illegal wildlife trade and enforce the Federal Government’s ban on the exportation of donkey skins,” the comptroller stated.
Kaila noted that the trade and export of donkey skins are prohibited under Nigerian laws and international agreements, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
He added that two suspects, identified as the driver and the owner of the consignment, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
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“The suspects will be prosecuted in accordance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and other relevant environmental protection laws,” he said.
Describing the seizure as a demonstration of the service’s commitment to protecting biodiversity and the national economy, Kaila warned that wildlife smuggling amounts to economic sabotage.
“We will not relent. Anyone involved in the illegal trade of wildlife products will be arrested, prosecuted, and made to face the full consequences of the law,” he warned.
The comptroller attributed the success of the operation to improved collaboration and intelligence sharing among security agencies within the zone. He also called on members of the public to support the Customs Service by providing credible information that could help dismantle smuggling networks in the region.
