Just two weeks after unveiling major import prohibition seizures, the Nigerian Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone D Bauchi , has intercepted 718 pieces of donkey skin worth ₦24,313,217 million and arrested two suspects in Bauchi, in a major anti-smuggling operation in the North-East, aimed at curbing the illegal export of endangered wildlife products.
Controller of the zone, Comptroller Abdullahi Shuaibu Kaila disclosed this during a press briefing at the Federal Operations Unit headquarters in Bauchi State, noting that the seizure was carried out on 26th December 2025 at the Mobile Area Animal Estate, along the Gombe–Garkida corridor in Mubi, Adamawa State.
According to him, the suspects arrested include the driver of the intercepted vehicle and the owner of the consignment, both of whom are currently in Customs custody pending further investigation. He explained that the operation was intelligence driven and targeted a shipment suspected to be for illegal export outside Nigeria.
The Controller stated that donkey skins are on Nigeria’s export prohibition list, with their trade restricted by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS). He added that the seizure was also in compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Comptroller Kaila warned that the illegal trade in donkey skins has led to a sharp decline in donkey populations, threatening biodiversity and rural livelihoods. He recalled that donkeys were once common across Nigerian communities and widely used for farming and transportation, but are now increasingly scarce due to illicit trade driven by international demand.
He said the operation was conducted in line with the Nigerian Customs Service Act 2023, CITES protocols, and other relevant environmental laws, stressing the Service’s zero-tolerance stance on smuggling.
The Controller further noted that improved collaboration with sister security agencies has strengthened intelligence sharing and enforcement capacity across the zone.
He warned smugglers and their sponsors that the Nigerian Customs Service would arrest and prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law, emphasizing that Nigeria will not be used as a corridor for wildlife crime.
Comptroller Kaila commended the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the Customs management team for their support, while praising officers of the Unit for their professionalism and dedication.
