The Kebbi State Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a trailer loaded with donkey meat amounting to over forty two million naira.
Parading the suspects, the area Comptroller Joseph Attah told newsmen that, officers and men of the command while on routine patrol, arrested the driver and other occupant of the vehicle and brought them to the Command’s Headquarters along with the offending item for further investigation.
According to him, physical examination of the truck revealed that it was loaded with 1,390 sacks of donkey meat with a duty paid value of 42,534,400 naira.
“Illegal trade on endangered species such as donkeys is a contravention of Section 63 (b) of CEMA CAP C.45 LFN 2004”.
Comptroller Attah said that, Nigeria was a signatory to International Convention on Wildlife fauna and flora and Nigeria Customs Service has responsibility to enforce the law and help protect such animals.
“As a responsible member of the international community, we cannot allow our nation to be used as a conduit pipe for illegal trade on wild life”.
Attah said, poaching donkeys was illegal and the command is urging all those in this illegality to stop it as they are determined to make it unprofitable including the possibility of sending the perpetrators to jail.
He assured the Command’s committement to fighting all forms of smuggling and other illicit trade in the state.
The over 42 million naira worth of donkey meat was destroyed with the representatives of Police, DSS and NESREA in attendance.
Abdullahi Tukur
