Customs Intercepts Container of Donkey Genitals, Uncovers Expanding Wildlife Trafficking Network

Customs Intercepts Container of Donkey Genitals, Uncovers Expanding Wildlife Trafficking Network

Abuja, July 10, 2025 — In a major breakthrough against wildlife trafficking, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a container loaded with over 10,000 donkey genitals along the Kaduna–Abuja Highway, exposing the growing scale of illegal wildlife trade through Nigerian corridors.

The alarming discovery was made public during a press briefing held at the Customs government warehouse in Karu, Abuja. The briefing, delivered on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, by the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, underscored the Service’s intensified clampdown on transnational wildlife crime.

According to Maiwada, the operation was carried out by the Special Wildlife Office (SWO) under the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), following credible intelligence that led officers to intercept the shipment on June 5, 2025, at about 9:00 p.m.

“This interception reflects the Service’s enhanced focus on anti-wildlife trafficking operations and our resolve to dismantle organised criminal networks exploiting Nigeria’s transport routes for illicit trade,” he said.

CGC Adeniyi stated that the items would be handed over to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in compliance with environmental protection protocols and inter-agency cooperation.

He also revealed a series of high-profile wildlife seizures conducted by the Customs Wildlife Office over the past year, including:

• Six African Grey Parrots in Kano (Dec. 2024)
• Live pangolins, Mona monkeys, Tantalus monkeys, a baby baboon, and an African Grey Parrot at Lagos Airport (May 2025)
• A container of 119.4kg of pangolin scales in Calabar
• 213 parrot heads, six eagle heads, 128 hornbill heads, and other exotic species in Cross River State
• 120 African Grey Parrots rescued in Adamawa State

Additionally, seizures have included taxidermy specimens such as life-sized lions, gorilla parts, zebra hides, and tortoises, which were transferred to the National Park Service in Oyo State.

The Customs boss warned that the scale and complexity of the illicit trade go beyond ecological harm, noting its strong links to money laundering, arms smuggling, and illicit financial flows.

“This is not just an environmental crime—it’s part of a sophisticated network tied to other forms of transnational organised crime,” CGC Adeniyi said.

He added that the NCS is investing in digital surveillance, species identification technology, and cross-border enforcement, while leveraging digital forensics and mobile phone analysis to prosecute offenders.

The Head of the Customs Wildlife Office, Assistant Comptroller Anuhu Mani, credited ongoing successes to partnerships with organisations like Focused Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society, Wild Power Trust, Green Fingers, and Padrilas, as well as collaboration with enforcement agencies across West Africa.

As Nigeria remains a key transit hub in the global illegal wildlife trade, the Customs Service says it will continue to bolster its operational capacity and legal framework to safeguard the country’s biodiversity and uphold international conservation obligations.