Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A in Lagos has seized donkey skin and other contraband valued at N5.2 billion within six weeks.
The Controller of the unit, Comptroller Kola Oladeji explained in Lagos that donkey skin worth more than N4 billion, adding that 21 exotic cars, foreign and local cannabis sativa were also intercepted.
According to him, six defendants were arrested in connection with various prohibited goods.
Oladeji said that men of the FOU had exhibited strict professional conduct and relentless effort in enforcing the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 as it relates to import, export, revenue, security of lives and properties across the borders of the south western states.
He said: “It is worthy of note to mention items arrested for investigation between 25th December and 4th Feb 2025 as follows: A very peculiar arrest is the 1x40ft container loaded with 4,410 of dry donkey skin with a street value of ₦4,235,790,464.64.
“I want to commend the officer in charge of the export team for exhibiting a high level of diligence and integrity by rejecting every attempt made by faceless individuals to compromise the process.
“It is no gain saying that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) prohibits Trade in vulnerable species. With the slaughtering of over 4,000 donkeys and attempt to smuggle them out of the Country, CITES has been violated and they shall investigate thoroughly to unmask the unscrupulous individuals behind this act.”
Oladeji noted that the seized Cannabis Sativa weighing 1,378kg will be handed over to the relevant government agency for further investigation.
Also in 2016, as part of the Federal Government fiscal policy, foreign parboiled rice was prohibited from being Imported through Land Border but permitted to be imported only through the Seaport with payment of requisite revenue.
