Wildlife Smuggling: Another War Customs Fights Gallantly
The gruesome sight of animal heads, feathers, and mutilated limbs piled into luggage should horrify any decent society. But in Nigeria, it has almost become another footnote in a long, shameful tale of environmental neglect.
On March 12, 2025, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Mfum/Ekok Joint Border Station in Cross River State intercepted yet another consignment of trafficked animal parts—ghastly proof that the nation remains a soft underbelly for the global black market in endangered species.
This time, it was a horrifying cache believed to have been smuggled in from Cameroon: 213 parrot heads, 29 packs of parrot feathers, 128 African hornbill heads, 5 eagle heads, eagle feathers, and the dismembered remains of two chimpanzees—heads, hands, and feet.
The suspect behind this macabre trade was arrested and remains in custody, as investigations continue.
At a press briefing in Calabar, the Area Controller of the Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Area Command, Comptroller Chukwudi Ogbonna, condemned the crime as a grave violation of both national and international laws, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) of 2023.
“This illegal wildlife trade not only undermines our biodiversity but also fuels transnational crime, threatening economic stability and public safety,” Ogbonna said.
This is not merely about protecting exotic creatures in distant forests. It is about national security, border integrity, and organized crime. Smuggling rings move these endangered animals across porous borders with disturbing ease—from Cameroon into Nigeria, and from Nigeria into the hands of traffickers in Asia and the Middle East.
Our nation is no longer just a participant in this vile commerce; we are fast becoming a central transit hub. Yes, Nigeria is a signatory to CITES. Yes, we are partners with the United Nations on biodiversity. But paper commitments are one thing—real enforcement is another.
What is unfolding across our borders is a betrayal of those commitments. It is a betrayal of our natural heritage. Wildlife smuggling is now a global multimillion-dollar enterprise. From pangolin scales to elephant ivory, and now chimpanzee remains,
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Nigeria is increasingly spotlighted in international conservation reports for the wrong reasons. The questions that arise are not just about enforcement capacity—they are about political will.
To halt this crisis, it is not enough to seize trucks at the border. What Nigeria needs is a coordinated national strategy that disrupts the entire chain—from traffickers in the wild, to smugglers at the borders, to buyers in foreign markets.
The Nigeria Customs Service deserves commendation for its brave efforts, especially with limited resources and personnel. But they cannot—and should not—fight this war alone. This is why urgent and strategic collaboration among relevant government agencies is essential.
Agencies like the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Nigerian Police, the judiciary, and even community vigilantes must form a united front against wildlife crimes.
Without proper investigation, diligent prosecution, and decisive convictions, traffickers will continue to exploit our weak systems with impunity. The impact of this trade goes far beyond environmental degradation.
It threatens Nigeria’s image on the global stage. As a CITES member, failure to control illegal wildlife trafficking could attract international sanctions and unravel diplomatic and environmental partnerships painstakingly built over the years.
Let us be clear: this is no longer just an environmental issue. This is a national emergency. The seizure at the Mfum border is not just another Customs success story—it is a jarring reminder that we are losing the fight against environmental crimes.
The heads, feathers, hands, and limbs intercepted are more than just wildlife casualties. They are symbols of a broken enforcement system, a national blind spot, and a thriving black market operating in plain sight.
To shut down wildlife smugglers, Nigeria must do more than praise the Customs Service after every seizure. It must elevate this crisis to a matter of national priority, commit real funding to anti-trafficking operations, and build legal frameworks that punish violators severely and swiftly.
We are watching our forests grow silent—one poached parrot, one butchered chimpanzee at a time. If the government continues to look the other way, Nigeria will soon have nothing left to protect. The time to act is not tomorrow. It is now.
Tahir Ahmad is a corps member serving at PRNigeria Centre, Abuja. He can be reached via: [email protected]
