Nigeria seizes shark fins, donkey genitals worth N1.23 billion

Nigerian authorities have seized wildlife parts worth N1.2 billion, the latest interception of such items that were to be shipped out of the country.

The Nigeria Customs Service said Thursday that its officials intercepted suspected dried shark fins and dried donkey genitals at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

– Key details to note

According to the command’s area controller, Muhammed Yusuf, the shark fins contained in six sacs had a value of N222 million, while the donkey genitals contained in 25 bags were valued at N1.01 billion.

He said it is the first time the command seized such items, and the carriers declared the donkey genitals and cow genitals, he said.

The shark fins were slated for export to China while the donkey parts were headed to Hong Kong. A Nigerian and a Chinese were involved, and one suspect was arrested.

“These items were seized mainly because of various forms of infractions on export guidelines and failure to comply with CITES Law on endangered species as enshrined in the Nigeria Customs Service Act,” Mr Yusuf said at a news conference in Lagos on Thursday.

CITES is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of international trade.

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The global illicit wildlife trade has grown rapidly over the past decade, pushing some species to the brink of extinction.

The World Bank estimates the trade at $7.8 billion to $10 billion a year, making wildlife crime the fourth most lucrative illegal business after narcotics, human trafficking, and weapons.

As a CITES signatory, Nigeria has banned the killing of endangered species in protected areas and the illicit trafficking of protected animals and body parts.

But the country has emerged as a leading source and transit point for a booming global wildlife trade. Attracted by its porous borders, high levels of corruption, transport links to Asia, and poor law enforcement, wildlife traffickers have made Nigeria a key exit point for ivory smuggled from Africa to Asia.

In 2021, the Nigeria Customs Service intercepted 18.7 metric tons of elephant tusks, rhino horns, pangolin scales and claws at various exit points across the country.