In a major anti-smuggling operation, the Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted a consignment containing a lion cub and patas monkeys on the Badagry–Seme Expressway. The animals were discovered hidden in different cages inside a Mazda car during a stop-and-search at Gbaji.
The culprits, identified as a Beninese national named Mathew Kofi and a Nigerian, Nasiru Usman Gwandu, admitted to acquiring the animals in Kano with the intention of transporting them to Benin.
The NCS emphasized that this operation underscores its commitment to conserving Nigeria’s biodiversity and enforcing its obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Because these are endangered species, they were immediately confiscated and placed under official care.
On November 16, 2025, the Customs Command formally handed over the animals to the Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative, ensuring they receive expert care and protection.
Comptroller Wale Adenuga, head of the Seme Area Command, reaffirmed his office’s staunch dedication to enforcing wildlife protection laws, strengthening border security, and collaborating with relevant agencies to combat illegal wildlife trafficking.
- Source: SHIPPING DAY LIVE, Image : Seattle times
- Date of Publication: November 17, 2025 (shippingdaylive.com)