The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said that it intercepted smuggled African parrots en route Benin Republic from Kaduna.
In a statement issued recently by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Hussaini Abdullahi, the Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, Timi Bormodi, said this while addressing journalists at the command.
Bomordi said that the contraband loaded in a luxurious bus was intercepted on Sunday along the Seme-Badagry Expressway.
He added that two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.
“Upon search of the bus, 51 live green parrots; five live African Grey parrots; five dead green parrots; one dead African Grey parrot; and one live hawk in iron nets and a paper box were discovered. Six of these birds have died due to the trauma of transporting them in this condition. Two suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure,” Bomordi explained.
He added that the African birds had a duty-paid value of N6.9m.
According to the Seme Customs boss, trading in endangered wildlife contravenes the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which is an international agreement to which Nigeria is a signatory.
Bomordi said that in line with the dictates of the NCS in promoting inter-agency collaboration and synergy, the seized parrots would be handed over to the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service.
“Officials of the f National Park Service will be informed of this seizure as it is their responsibility to rehabilitate and protect them from further harm,” he concluded.
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