The Nigeria Customs Service in Calabar has announced the seizure of goods with a Duty Paid Value exceeding N1,041,038,508 during the months of March, June, and July.
Customs Area Comptroller for Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Area Command, Mr. Chukwudi Ogbonna, revealed the figures in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.
Ogbonna, however, lamented the loss of potential revenue due to the non-dredging of the Calabar river channel, as well as the deteriorating condition of the Calabar-Itu highway.
Speaking about the items seized, the comptroller listed them to include 6,100 liters of Premium Motor Spirit, four bags of pangolin scales, medicaments, and narcotics.
He disclosed that the DPV of the pangolin scales alone exceeded N637 million. Additionally, the command confiscated 213 parrot heads among other wildlife items during the period under review.
He said, “On Wednesday, 12th March, during routine baggage inspections at the Mfun/Ekok Joint Border Station, my officers intercepted a traveller entering Nigeria from Cameroon. The individual was found in possession of 213 parrot heads, 29 packs of parrot feathers, 128 heads of African hornbill, and five eagle heads. Others items included one pack of eagle feathers, two heads, four hands, and four legs of chimpanzee.”
Highlighting the legal implications, Ogbonna stated, “The seizure underscores a violation of international laws including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which Nigeria is a signatory to. Section 55 of the NCS Act 2023 prohibits the import/export/transit of endangered species without permits.”
He further stressed the broader impact of illegal wildlife trade, noting that it “not only undermined Nigeria’s biodiversity but also fuelled crime, economic stability, and public safety.”
Ogbonna also confirmed that four suspects linked to the seized items are currently facing trial in court.
He expressed gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for providing leadership and institutional support, and thanked officers and other stakeholders for their resilience and dedication.
“The command under my leadership is committed to combating all forms of smuggling and enforcing customs laws,” he added.
Meanwhile, the comptroller expressed concern over the dwindling revenue of the command, attributing it to infrastructural challenges.
He explained, “The Calabar Port would have been receiving between 50 to 100 vessels monthly, but non dredging of the river channel has restricted it to about two to three vessels monthly. What I am saying is that the depth of the channel is shallow, and that prevents lots of vessels from coming in. Again, the state of the Calabar-Itu road has also not helped matters; it takes three to five days for a container to get to Calabar Port from Onne because of the bad road.”