By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Nigeria Customs Service has stated that trade in endangered wildlife contravenes the Convention on International Trade On Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Area Controller of Seme Customs Command, Comptroller Timi Bomodi stated this after the command intercepted some birds being smuggled out of the country through the Seme Border, on Monday.
He said the seized birds which are 63 African birds comprising endangered wildlife species of 62 African parrots and 1 hawk, have a duty paid value of (DPV) of N6.89million.
Briefing journalists while handing over the seized birds to the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) Seme Command, Bomodi condemned the act, saying some of the birds had already died out of stress.
“On the 25th of September at about 0400hrs, Officers and Men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command while on patrol along Seme-Badagry Expressway, acting on credible intelligence intercepted a luxurious bus enroute from Kaduna to Benin Republic.”
“Upon search of the bus, Fifty-One (51) live Green parrots, Five (5) live African Grey Parrots, Five (5) dead Green Parrots, One (1) dead African Grey Parrot, and One (1) live Hawk in iron nets and a Paper Box were discovered. Six (6) of these birds have died due to the trauma of transporting them in this condition,” he said.
The Customs boss lamented that the birds are rare species and would be easily sold for over five times the value when smuggled out of Nigeria.
He said: “Trade in endangered wildlife contravenes the Convention on International Trade On Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an International Agreement which Nigeria is a signatory to.”
He, however, disclosed that 2 suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure, warning: “Perpetrators of the illegal trade should stay out of the Lagos-Abidjan corridor or they will continue to incur heavy losses if they insist.”
