Endangered Species: Seme Customs Intercepts Live Parrots, Hawk Worth N6m, handover seizure to NAQS

The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command has intercepted live endangered species of African Grey Parrots, Green Parrots and a hawk with a DPV of N6,859,832.

Comptroller Timi Bomodi, the Customs Area Controller, revealed this on 25 September 2023 during his maiden press briefing.

According to him, the seizure was made in the early hours of Monday, 25th September, 2023, at Gbaji Checkpoint en route Benin Republic following credible intelligence.

“These animals were intercepted by our officers at about 4 am today; we got the intelligence that they were being conveyed in a luxurious bus all the way from Kaduna to Lagos, with the intention to take them out of the country to sell,” said Comptroller Bomodi.

He further added, “As you may be aware, this is an illicit trade of endangered species, they are valued outside the country and we have individuals that are ready to go through a lot of risks to smuggle these birds.”

Comptroller Bomodi restated that Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to curb the menace of illicit trade, noting that two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.

He said, “Part of the responsibilities of the Nigeria Customs Service as a signatory to the convention on illicit trade in endangered species is to ensure trade like this does not continue and we are hell-bent on seeing that things of this nature are not circulated.

“We already have two suspects in our custody, and the normal procedure for activating seizures of this nature with special regard to how these defendants will be treated is already in place”, he emphasised.

The seizure was, however, handed over to the Controller, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services, Mr Sanusi Magashi, whose responsibility is to temporarily safeguard and nurture such animals and later release them to the national park.

While receiving the items, Comptroller Magaji commended the management of Seme Area Command for the synergy, describing it as a job well done.