Customs arrests wildlife traffickers who shipped container from Vietnam
Nigeria Customs Service-Special Wildlife Office and officers of Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, have apprehended the shipper of a 40ft container of illegal Wildlife products that was intercepted and reported by Vietnam authorities in April. The arrest was made in a joint enforcement Operation with the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), May 16, 2024. During […]
Nigeria Customs Service-Special Wildlife Office and officers of Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, have apprehended the shipper of a 40ft container of illegal Wildlife products that was intercepted and reported by Vietnam authorities in April.
The arrest was made in a joint enforcement Operation with the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), May 16, 2024.
During the joint operation, on 17th May, 2024, barely six weeks after the news was reported in Vietnam, the team equally arrested a suspected supplier of ivory.
Commenting on the development, comptroller in charge of FOU Zone C, Comptroller Mike Ugbagu, said apprehending those persons is to send a clear signal to other perpetrators of these illegal acts which are in contravention of the Customs export guidelines/ Nigeria Customs Service Act, and the Endangered Species Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that, wildlife trafficking, illegal wildlife trade and any form of Wildlife crime will not be condoned.
He said it also reaffirms the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)’s commitment to support all global initiatives to fight Wildlife crime in all its forms.
According to the officer in charge of the NCS Special Wildlife office, Asst Comptroller Abimbola Isafiade, “the efficient and multi-focused response by NCS to the seizure in Vietnam demonstrates that it is not business as usual concerning the Nigeria-Vietnam trafficking corridor, and NCS’s success in apprehending both the shipper and supplier builds on the 3 years of successful arrests and prosecutions of key members of local and international IVORY trafficking networks.”
He said the culprits will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.