By Emmanuel Nduka
In part of efforts to preserve Wildlife, the Federal Operations Unit Zone B of the Nigeria Customs Service, says it has intercepted pangolin scales worth N3.9 billion Duty Paid Value from smugglers during an operation in Kebbi State, Northern Nigeria.
The Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit, Ahmadu Bello-Shuaibu who disclosed this on Wednesday at the unit’s headquarters in Kaduna State, said the Customs operatives acting on actionable intelligence, stormed a suburb of Zuru Town in Kebbi State, successfully intercepted sacks of pangolin scales which weighed 445.45kg on May 24, 2024.
Disclosing that those involved in the illegal trafficking of endangered species were hiding under the act to launder money used in procuring drugs, arms and other illegal merchandise, he said a suspect was arrested in connection with the smuggled pangolin scales.
He attributed the success of the operation to the robust intelligence sharing between the Customs Service and the Wild Life Office, coupled with the determined efforts of its operatives to carry out the operation.
“Acting on actionable intelligence the operatives storm a hideout known as (slaughter house) in the suburbs of Zuru Town in Kebbi State on Friday, May 24 2024 at about 1600hrs. The team discovered and evacuated sacks of pangolin scales which were transported to the HQ of FOU Zone ‘B’ in Kaduna. After careful examination and counting, the pangolin scales weighed 445.45kg.
“Let me once again explain that the pangolin specie is one of the endangered species that is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flaura (CITES).
“It is instructive that Nigeria is signatory to the CITES Convention and all forms of trading in this species are clearly illegal. The Nigeria Customs Service will continue to partner CITES to forestall the identified species from going into extinction.
“The value of this seizure at the International market is Three Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Five Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Six Thousand Naira (#3,955,596,000.00) only.
“One (1) Suspect was arrested in connection with this seizure while the main suspect is currently at large. However, the Unit in collaboration with other sister agencies will not rest on its oars until the main suspect is arrested and brought to book.
“The offence contravene Section 55 (1) paragraph C and I of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023.
“The success of this operation lies in robust intelligence sharing between the NCS and Wild life Office and the resilience by operatives of the Unit to leverage and utilize the coordinates given to them to make this arrest. We wish to put it on record that the success of the operation is unique in that it was casualty-free.
“From empirical evidence, we make bold to say that those involved in the illegal trafficking of endangered species are hiding under it to launder money used in procuring drugs, arms and other illegal merchandise. You can imagine the havoc this may have caused if it had escaped the eagle eyes of our operatives.
“l wish to call on the general public to continue to cooperate and stand with the NCS on its fight against smuggling. We must work together to salvage this country and to actualize the dream of our founding fathers,” the Nigerian Customs Service stated.
Heritage Times HT is critical advocate for the preservation of Wildlife.
In 2022, Nigerian officials seized 1,613 tonnes of pangolin scales and arrested 14 people, according to the National Environmental Standards Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
A shy and critically endangered animal, the pangolin is one of the world’s most trafficked mammals, and their scales are in high demand in traditional Chinese medicine, despite no reliable scientific evidence that they have any medicinal properties.
