ZONE ‘B’ Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed that its officers and men intercepted illegal products of donkey comprising consignments of donkey bones and meat with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of NN3 billion between April 17 and May 17, 2024.
Comptroller of FOU Zone ‘B’ Kaduna, Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu, stated while briefing journalists on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, saying that on April 25, 2024, operatives of the Unit, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted a truck with Registration Number: GGE 526 XL along the Sokoto-Gusau Road in Zamfara State conveying illicit goods, which were brought to Kaduna for further examination.
He said: “Upon careful examination the truck was discovered to be conveying 750 sacks of donkey bones with an estimated DPV of N2.363 billion while one suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Again, on May 5, 2024, operatives of the Unit intercepted two Canter Trucks carrying dried donkey meat along the Kontagora-Tegina Road in Niger State and after 100 percent physical examination, the trucks were found to contain 860 sacks of dried donkey meat, while three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.”
Stressing that the illicit traded contravened Section 55 (1) paragraph c and i (1) of the NCS Act 2023 stating that: “Import and Exports shall where applicable be subject to prohibitions and restrictions relating to: (c) The protection of the health and life of humans, animals or plants; (i) Controlled goods imported or exported in line with relevant International laws, conventions and agreements (1) relevant International laws, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).”
He further explained that the Unit seized 58,740 sachets of Tramadol and 48,000 samples of Anelgin injection May 2, 2024 along the Saminaka-Nimbiya-Kafanchan axis of Kaduna State, adding that the illicit drugs were neatly concealed with motor spare parts and that their DPV amounted to N167,500.
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According to Shuaibu, other items intercepted within the period under review include 12 vehicles; 174 bags of 50kg foreign rice; 234 jerry cans of 25 litres PMS; 109 bales of second hand clothes; 367 cartons of Spaghetti; 50 cartons of Macaroni and 47 jerry cans of foreign vegetable oil.
Others are six sacks of used shoes; 100 sacks of snuff; 30 bags of 25kg foreign sugar; 2,255 cartons of herbicide chemical; 10 cartons of foreign couscous; 235 bags of 25kg foreign flour and over 100 cartons of general goods with a total DPV of N3.175 billion
“Government is concerned that donkeys are part of rare animals that are being driven towards extinction by activities of unscrupulous elements and Nigeria is signatory to the international convention for the continued prevention of endangering these species.
Therefore, the FOU and indeed the NCS will not fold its hand and allow the illegal trade to continue,” he said.
He commended the officers for their collective determination to continue to carry out their duty with undivided attention and without fear or favour, adding: “Those who wish to try our resolve should have a rethink, as we shall be unsparing in implementing the laws and policy directives of the Federal Government as directed by the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and his management team.”
