NSC Impounds Pangolin Scales Worth N3.9bn 

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Federal Operations Unit, Zone B, Nigerian Customs Service, Kaduna, has impounded sacks of pangolin scales worth N3.9 billion. 

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Kaduna, the Comptroller Ahmadu Shuaibu, said that the pangolin scales,  which weighed 445.45kg, were impounded in the suburbs of Zuru town in Kebbi State on Friday, May 24, 2024,  following actionable intelligence report. 

The unit had on May 21, 2024, intercepted  donkey bones and dry donkey meat worth over N3 billion in a similar operation.

He said that the NCS has declared its resolve not to allow illegal trading in endangered wildlife species and other smuggling activities to thrive in the Zone. 

“Our operatives have 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.

“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 16:00 hours,” Shuaibu said. 

He said that the team discovered and evacuated sacks of pangolin scales which were transported to the headquarters of Federal Operations Unit  Zone ‘B’ in Kaduna. 

Shuaibu said 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 (N3,955,596,000.00) only,” he said.

According to him, one suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure while the main suspect is currently at large. 

Shuaibu said that the  unit, in collaboration with other sister agencies, would 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 utilise the coordinates given to them to make this arrest.

“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,” he said. 

He called on members of 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”, he added.