Customs Hands Over ₦3.94bn Seized Donkey Parts to NESREA in Kaduna

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its fight against illegal wildlife trafficking with the handover of donkey parts worth ₦3.94 billion to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in Kaduna State.

The consignment, announced in a statement posted on Customs’ official X handle on Friday, was intercepted by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone B, Kaduna, during coordinated anti-smuggling operations.

According to the statement, the seizures included 700 bags of donkey bones valued at ₦1.86 billion and 2,500 pieces of dried donkey skins valued at ₦2.07 billion, all destined for illegal export in violation of national laws and international conventions, including CITES.

At a formal handover ceremony in Kaduna on Tuesday, Comptroller Aminu Sule, Area Controller of FOU Zone B, presented the exhibits to Mr. Hene Emmanuel, NESREA’s State Coordinator.

Sule warned that the indiscriminate slaughter of donkeys undermines rural livelihoods and sustainable development, stressing that “this seizure is a clear warning to traffickers that FOU Zone B will not relent in the fight against environmental crime.”

Receiving the items, Emmanuel lauded Customs for its intelligence-led operations and pledged swift legal action. He assured that NESREA’s focus would be on prosecuting suspects linked to the seizures and curbing the demand fueling the illegal trade in donkey parts.

The handover ceremony, attended by representatives of security and regulatory agencies, formally transferred custody of the contraband to NESREA for further enforcement measures under Nigeria’s environmental protection laws.