From: Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’, has stepped up its crackdown on the illegal wildlife trade, intercepting live pangolins being smuggled along the Kano-Jigawa route.
In a significant increase in enforcement efforts, the Unit recorded its second major seizure of live pangolins in two weeks, with the latest arrest made on March 26, 2026. This follows a similar successful operation on March 12, 2026, showing the Unit’s improved surveillance.
According to the Unit’s Comptroller, Aminu Sule, the seizures were carried out under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international treaty to which Nigeria is a party.
“The frequency of these interceptions—twice within a fortnight—demonstrates our heightened surveillance,” he stated.
The seized pangolins were hidden inside a vehicle and have been secured and transported to the FOU Zone ‘B’ headquarters in Kaduna for further investigation and handover to wildlife authorities.
Comptroller Sule emphasized the Unit’s firm stance against wildlife crime, calling for a thorough investigation to dismantle the syndicate behind the smuggling.
“This seizure sends a clear message: Zone ‘B’ will not be a transit point or haven for wildlife traffickers,” he stressed.
Pangolins are currently the most trafficked mammals worldwide, and the Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to enforcing environmental laws and international agreements to protect Nigeria’s biodiversity and meet its global conservation responsibilities.
