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Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘D’ has intercepted five sacks of pangolin scales and claws weighing 216 kilograms and valued at N48 million.
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The zone, in a May 18, 2023 letter addressed to the Comptroller-General of the Service and signed by the Acting Controller, FOU, Zone ‘D’ Bauchi, Joseph Adelaja, disclosed the “interception and evacuation of four sacks of pangolin scales and one small sack of pangolin claws weighing 216 kilograms, along Sangere-Yola Axis, Adamawa State, on Thursday, May 11, 2023.”
Acting on credible intelligence, the Acting Controller had constituted a team comprising of men of FOU Headquarters, Bauchi, and swiftly deployed the Maiha/Belel Liaison, Roving Team ‘A’ and Yola Roving Patrol Teams of the Unit.
The letter reads in part: “The team raided a makeshift shop at a motor park along Sangere-Yola Axis and evacuated four sacks and one small sack of pangolin scales/claws.
“The evacuated sacks of pangolin scales/claws were weighed to be a total of 216 kilograms (with a Duty Paid Value of N48 million).
“On the instructions of the Acting Controller, the sacks of pangolin scales/claws were seized and deposited at Government Warehouse, Bauchi/Gombe Area Command, for safe keeping.”
Speaking on the seizures, the FOU Public Relations Officer, Umar Abdullahi, said the contraband contravened provision of Section 63 of Customs and Excise Management Act CAP 45 Laws of the Federal Government of Nigeria 2004 (as amended) as well as the Federal Government Policy on Export Prohibition.
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