Customs Operatives In Kaduna Intercepts Endangered Species, Others Worth Over N3.1 Billion, Arrests 4 Suspects

The Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘B’ Kaduna, has made significant strides in combating illegal activities involving endangered species and illicit goods. In a media briefing today, Comptroller Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu detailed the Unit’s operations from April 17 to May 17, 2024, highlighting the interception of illegal donkey products and the arrest of four suspects.

The Unit seized consignments of donkey bones and dried donkey meat with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of approximately N3 billion. On April 25, 2024, operatives intercepted a truck carrying 750 sacks of donkey bones along Sokoto/Gusau Road in Zamfara State. The DPV for these bones was estimated at N2.36 billion. One suspect was arrested in connection with this seizure.

On May 5, 2024, two Canter trucks carrying 860 sacks of dried donkey meat were intercepted along Kontagora-Tegina Road in Niger State, leading to the arrest of three suspects. These seizures contravene the NCS Act 2023, particularly concerning the protection of endangered species under international laws, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Additionally, on May 2, 2024, the Unit seized 58,740 sachets of tramadol and 48,000 ampules of Anelgin injection along the Saminaka/Nimbiya/Kafanchan axis of Kaduna State. These illicit drugs were concealed among motor spare parts, with a DPV of N167.5 million.

Other items seized within the period include: 12 vehicles, 174 bags of foreign rice (50 kg each), 234 jerry cans of PMS (25 liters each), 109 bales of second-hand clothing, 367 cartons of spaghetti, 50 cartons of macaroni, 47 jerry cans of foreign vegetable oil, 6 sacks of used shoes, 100 sacks of snuff, 30 bags of foreign sugar (25 kg each), 2,255 cartons of herbicide chemical, 10 cartons of foreign couscous, 235 bags of foreign flour (25 kg each), and Over 100 cartons of general goods. The total DPV of the seized items stands at N3.175 billion.

Comptroller Shuaibu commended the officers and men of the Unit for their unwavering professionalism and commitment to duty. He warned against any attempts to undermine the Unit’s efforts, stating that the NCS is now utilizing advanced intelligence-gathering techniques, including ICT-assisted strategies, to enhance their anti-smuggling operations.

Shuaibu also acknowledged the support from the Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command and the Customs Police Unit, which has been instrumental in the Unit’s success. He reiterated the Unit’s resolve to continue implementing federal laws and policies without fear or favor.

The briefing concluded with appreciation for the media’s role in disseminating information about the Unit’s anti-smuggling achievements.