In a significant operation, the Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service intercepted a total of 105 wild birds being smuggled through the Seme-Badagry Expressway. The Controller of the Command, Comptroller Timi Bomodi, revealed that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of these birds amounted to a staggering N24,912,928.
The interception took place during routine patrols along the Seme-Badagry Expressway. Customs officers discovered the birds after intercepting two buses. One of the buses was en route to Nigeria from Togo, while the other was heading to Benin Republic from Katsina. These seizures occurred on September 27 and September 28, respectively.
A detailed examination of the buses revealed a variety of bird species, including 60 green parrots, 14 budgerigar parrots, six eastern rosella parrots, two macaw parrots, one white cockatoo parrot, four Rose Ringed Parakeets parrots, one Maidain Dock bird, three love birds, and four other unidentified birds. Tragically, approximately 10 of these birds had already perished due to the distressing conditions of their transportation.
A Daring Attempt to Smuggle Rare Parrots Worth ₦7million Foiled by Nigeria Customs Service
In addition to the seizure of the birds, two suspects were apprehended in connection with this illegal activity.
Comptroller Timi Bomodi strongly condemned such criminal acts within society. He emphasized that the trade in endangered wildlife goes against the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
Bomodi reaffirmed that those engaged in this illicit trade would continue to be intercepted and arrested as long as they persist in using the Lagos-Abidjan corridor for their illegal activities.
In line with the spirit of inter-agency collaboration, the seized wild birds were handed over to officials of the National Park Service. Their responsibility is to rehabilitate and protect these birds from further harm.
This successful operation follows a similar interception in which smuggled African parrots were seized en route to the Benin Republic from Kaduna along the Seme-Badagry Expressway. The DPV of these birds was estimated at N6.9 million, and two suspects were arrested in connection with that seizure.
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