In its resolve to checkmate illegal trading in endangered wildlife species and other smuggling activities, the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’ Kaduna has bursted a hideout known as slaughter house in the suburbs of Zuru Town in Kebbi State and evacuated sacks containing scales of endangered species.
Briefing news men on the activities of the Unit on Wednesday, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu disclised that barely two weeks the Unit made known its resolve not to allow illegal trading in endangered wildlife species and other smuggling activitieseses to thrive in the Zone, officers and men of the Unit upped-the-ante in the combat against smuggling of protected species and successfully intercepted a consignment of Pangolin scale and its derivatives within Kebbi state axis of the Zone.
Comptroller Shuaibu hinted that his operatives, while acting on actionable intelligence, storm a hideout known as slaughter house in the suburbs of Zuru Town in Kebbi State on Friday, May 24 2024 at about 1600hrs, they discovered and evacuated sacks of pangolin scales which were transported to the Zone ‘B’ headquarter in Kaduna.
Shuaibu added that after careful examination and counting, the pangolin scales weighed 445.45kg.
He hinted that the pangolin scale is an endangered species protect by law. “Let me once again explain that the pangolin specie is one of the endangered species that is protected by the Convention on International Tradinge 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’ he quipped.
He added that the value of the seizured pangolin scale at the International market is three billion, nine hundred and fifty-five nillion, five hundred and ninety-six thousand naira (N3,955,596,000.00) only.
The anti-smuggling Czar also disclised that one Suspect was arrested in connection with the 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”, he said.
He hinted that the offence contravene Section 55 (1) paragraph C and I of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023.
Speaking further, Comptroller Shuaibu added that the success of the 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 the 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 speciesies are hiding under it to launder money used in procuring drugs,inh 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.
“May l at this juncture repeat that the Unit shall continue to enforce the Federal Government policies in line with International best practices, no matter the campaign of calumny against the Service’ he said.
