Business is no longer as usual as the smugglers are now on their toes under the watchdog of the new Controller in charge of the Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS) Zone B, Comptroller Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu, who in a space of just 50days in office , has recorded massive interception of endangered species worth over #6 billion into warehouse of the unit.
The value of this particular seizure at the International market is Three Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Five Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Six Thousand Naira (#3,955,596,000.00) only.
On the 5th day of June 2024 , Comptroller Ahmadu Shuaibu organized yet another press briefing in a two weeks intervals from the previous one to intimate the media about the anti-smuggling exploits of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’ Kaduna.
The CAC recalled the declaration made by the unit not to allow illegal trading of endangered wildlife species and other smuggling activities to thrive in the Zone, but the smugglers thought it was mere threat, but the operatives have upped-the-ante in the combat against smuggling of protected species and successfully intercepted a consignment of Pangolin scale and its derivatives within Kebbi state axis of the Zone.
He revealed that the unit acted based on intelligence the operatives and stormed a hideout known as (slaughter house) in the suburbs of Zuru Town in Kebbi State on Friday, May 24 2024 at about 1600hrs.
Shuaibu said that his team discovered and evacuated sacks of pangolin scales and was carefully examined, counted and weighed 445.45kg and was immediately transported to the headquarter of the Zone in Kaduna.
He further more explained that the pangolin specie is one of the endangered species that is protected by the Convention on International Trade of Wild Fauna and Flaura (CITES).
He instructively explained further that Nigeria is signatory to the CITES Convention and all forms of trading in this species are clearly illegal, and that NCS will continue to partner CITES to forestall the identified species from going into extinction.
After much struggles , he said that the Command was able to arrest 1 suspect in connection with this seizure while the main suspect is currently at large.
He however assured the general public that the Unit in collaboration with other sister agencies will not rest on its oars until the main suspect is arrested and brought to book.
as the offense contravene Section 55 (1) paragraph C and I of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023.
He attributed the successful operation story to the robust intelligence sharing between the NCS and Wild life Office.
While he admired the resilience operatives of the Unit by their maximum coordination that has yielded a unique operation with no casualty.
He empirically stated that those involved in the illegal trafficking of the endangered species are hiding under it to launder money used in procuring drugs, arms and other illegal merchandise,
which could have wrecked havoc if it had escaped but for the eagle eyes of NCS kaduna operatives.
He appealed to the general public to continue to cooperate and stand with the NCS on its fight against smuggling.
“We must work together to salvage this country and to actualize the dream of our founding fathers”.
He repeatedly concluded that the Unit shall continue to enforce the Federal Government policies in line with International best practices, no matter the campaign of calumny against the Service, he stressed.
