The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has warned individuals and criminal networks involved in wildlife trafficking that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will intensify efforts to disrupt their activities through intelligence, collaboration and international mechanisms.
Adeniyi issued the warning during a visit to the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, where he commended officers for the interception of 48 endangered animals and birds along the Daura/Kano axis on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.
He praised the officers for their professionalism, courage and commitment to protecting endangered species from illegal trade.
Speaking with journalists, the CGC said the NCS was fulfilling its obligations under international conventions established to protect endangered species, stressing that combating 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 was driven by international criminal networks that exploit borders to move endangered species to destinations where they are traded globally.
He said the Service would continue to strengthen its strategies through training, collaboration with conservation organisations and partnerships with international agencies to tackle the menace.
The Customs boss stressed that the fight against wildlife trafficking went beyond the arrest of suspects, noting that rescued animals required specialised care, rehabilitation and scientific processes before they could potentially be returned 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.
Adeniyi also commended conservation experts working with the Service, particularly Focus Conservation, for providing specialised care for the rescued animals.
He added that some of the rescued species would require DNA testing to establish their origin and support future rehabilitation efforts.
Speaking on the condition of the rescued animals, Illegal Wildlife Trade Rescue and Rehabilitation Advisor at Focus Conservation, Lindsay Mace, described the gorillas and chimpanzees among the rescued species as critically endangered.
Mace warned that their survival was being threatened by international trafficking networks.
According to her, the rescued chimpanzees were likely Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees, while the gorillas were suspected to be Cross River gorillas, regarded as one of the world’s most endangered gorilla subspecies.
She stressed the need for continued collaboration among law enforcement agencies, conservation organisations and international partners to protect the endangered species from extinction and dismantle the networks behind their illegal trade.
