….As Adeniyi Commends Officers, Pledges Stronger Collaboration
By Muhammad Bashir
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, on Sunday, 30 August 2026, warned individuals and criminal networks involved in wildlife trafficking that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will continue to deploy intelligence, collaboration and international mechanisms to disrupt their activities.
Adeniyi gave the warning during his visit to the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, where he commended officers involved in the interception of 48 endangered animals and birds along the Daura/Kano axis on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, for their professionalism, courage and commitment to protecting endangered species from illegal trade.
Speaking with journalists during the visit, the CGC stated that the service was fulfilling its obligations under international conventions established to protect endangered species, noting that the fight against wildlife trafficking required collective action among relevant stakeholders.
“These conventions were established to ensure collective action in protecting endangered species, and the NCS is living up to this responsibility. We have a special unit of officers who are well-trained and motivated, working closely with their colleagues across various commands where these challenges have been identified as prevalent,” he said.
Adeniyi explained that wildlife trafficking involved international criminal networks that exploit borders to move endangered species to destinations where they are traded globally, adding that “The Service would continue to strengthen its strategies through training, collaboration with conservation organisations and partnerships with international agencies to tackle the menace.”
He said the fight against wildlife trafficking went beyond arresting suspects, stressing that rescued animals require specialised care, rehabilitation and scientific processes before they can possibly return to their natural habitats. “Beyond the arrest of suspects, we must ensure that the rescued animals remain alive and receive the necessary care. These animals cannot thrive in an office environment. They need natural surroundings where they can climb trees and exhibit their natural behaviour,” he said.
The Comptroller-General also commended conservation experts working with the Service, particularly Focus Conservation, for providing specialised care for the rescued animals, while noting that some rescued species would require DNA testing to determine their origin and support future rehabilitation efforts.
Speaking on the condition of the rescued animals, Illegal Wildlife Trade Rescue and Rehabilitation Advisor, Focus Conservation, Lindsay Mace, described the gorillas and chimpanzees as critically endangered species, warning that their survival was threatened by international trafficking networks. Mace explained that the rescued chimpanzees were likely Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees, while the gorillas were suspected to be Cross River gorillas, one of the world’s most endangered gorilla subspecies.
