The Kano/Jigawa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), has intercepted 2,179kg of pangolin scales.
Saidu Nuruddeen, the spokesperson for the Kano/Jigawa Customs Command, announced the seizure, which followed the arrest of a suspect in Mubi, Adamawa State. The operation was supported by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone D and marks the third major pangolin scale seizure by the NCS Kano/Jigawa Command and the WJC this year.
“This achievement is a testament to the command’s commitment to fighting all forms of crime, supporting global efforts to fight wildlife crime, while protecting Nigeria’s wildlife and preserving the country’s biodiversity,” Nuruddeen said in a statement on Tuesday.
He credited the success to the continued collaboration between the NCS and WJC, which began in 2021. Under the leadership of Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale and Comptroller Dauda Ibrahim Chana of the Kano/Jigawa Command, this partnership has resulted in multiple arrests and significant wildlife trafficking disruptions.
Nuruddeen highlighted that the NCS, in partnership with the WJC, has seized a total of 21,582kg of pangolin scales across Nigeria. Notably, 54% of these seizures—amounting to 11,673.2kg—were made in 2024, with 4,473.2kg confiscated by the Kano/Jigawa Command alone.
“The perpetrators will be prosecuted accordingly, and the service will leave no stone unturned to further apprehend anyone connected to this criminal network. This operation demonstrates the power of collaboration between the NCS and WJC, reaffirming NCS’ dedication to combating wildlife trafficking,” Nuruddeen added.
The NCS reiterated its commitment to preserving Nigeria’s biodiversity and protecting endangered wildlife species through its anti-trafficking initiatives.
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