Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, have dealt a heavy blow to an international wildlife trafficking syndicate, intercepting 48 rare and endangered animals and birds along the notorious Daura-Kano axis.
The intelligence-led operation, executed at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, also led to the immediate arrest of three male suspects. Confronted by vigilant patrol officers, the traffickers attempted to buy their way out of custody by dangling a cash inducement of N3 million for a “smooth passage”. Rejecting the overture outright, the operatives stood their ground, seizing the illicit cargo and arresting the suspects.
Addressing journalists during the formal handover of the recovered species, the Acting Deputy Comptroller in charge of Enforcement, Assistant Comptroller Muhammad Zanna—representing the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Usman Adamu—laudatory commended the personnel for prioritizing national interest and professional ethics over personal enrichment.
A comprehensive physical examination of the intercepted consignment revealed a staggering variety of protected fauna, including four caracal wild cats, four chimpanzees, two baby gorillas, seven red-colored patas monkeys, and two galagos (bush babies). The haul further contained a honey badger, two albino alligators, six rock fowls, a civet cat, and 19 greater bustard wild birds.
The suspects alongside the rescued animals have since been transferred to the custody of the Special Wildlife Office at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja for exhaustive profiling, further investigation, and subsequent prosecution.
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Command authorities noted that the operation was executed strictly in adherence to Section 55(1)(i) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, alongside global provisions outlined in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). While attributing the operational success to the robust support framework provided by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and his management team, the command issued a stern warning to transnational criminal syndicates exploiting regional borders, reiterating that security forces remain fiercely committed to shielding Nigeria’s fragile biodiversity from illegal exploitation.
