Conservationists have described a major wildlife seizure by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, as the largest ever recorded in Nigeria and, according to them, in West and Central Africa, following the interception of endangered animals by officers operating under the command of Acting Controller, Deputy Comptroller Usman Umar Adamu.
The seizure involved 47 endangered wildlife specimens, including albino crocodiles, chimpanzees, gorillas and wild cats, alongside various birds and other items, highlighting the scale of illicit wildlife trafficking and the importance of intelligence-led enforcement in combating the trade.
Adamu attributed the breakthrough to his international law enforcement training, specialist exposure to wildlife trafficking and previous experience in the Customs Intelligence Unit, which equipped him with the knowledge to identify trafficking patterns and anticipate the routes used by smugglers.
He attended the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Roswell, United States, where he received law enforcement training, as well as an Executive Symposium on Wildlife Trafficking and Model Law. He was also trained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other law enforcement agencies and participated in World Customs Organisation (WCO) engagements on wildlife trafficking in Brussels.
According to Adamu, a wildlife programme organised by the WCO in 2025 further strengthened his understanding of the methods used by traffickers and inspired his determination to prevent the illegal trade in endangered species.
His experience in intelligence gathering, combined with the specialist knowledge acquired through international training, informed the command’s approach to monitoring the movement of wildlife through northern Nigeria and identifying vulnerable points exploited by trafficking networks.
Adamu explained that Kano’s position as a major commercial centre in northern Nigeria, alongside the region’s proximity to several neighbouring countries, makes it strategically important in understanding the movement of illicit goods across borders.
He identified Niger Republic, Benin Republic, Chad and Cameroon among the countries bordering Nigeria, noting that several of these countries also share connections with Central African territories where forests and favourable ecological conditions support endangered wildlife.
According to him, animals seized in Nigeria may have originated elsewhere and passed through multiple countries before reaching their destinations. Traffickers, he said, often exploit these routes to conceal the actual origins of wildlife and evade detection by enforcement agencies.
He cited a possible trafficking route through which wildlife originating in the Central African Republic could be moved through Cameroon, Chad and Niger before entering Nigeria.
Understanding these routes, he said, has been central to the command’s efforts to identify suspicious movements and deploy officers strategically to intercept trafficked wildlife. Beyond his international exposure, Adamu relied on his experience in the Customs Intelligence Unit to strengthen the command’s intelligence network, particularly through engagement with residents of border communities.
He explained that local intelligence remained important because people living around border areas often possess useful information about unusual movements and activities that may indicate smuggling. The command also intensifies training for patrol officers, equipping them to recognise non-verbal behaviour, physical appearances, expressions and other indicators that could help identify suspicious activities.
According to Adamu, the combination of local intelligence, specialist training and an understanding of trafficking patterns enables officers to remain alert to possible wildlife consignments moving through the area. The seizures began in January 2026, with officers intercepting successive consignments as the command intensified its operations.
Adamu recalled that one evening, officers encountered a consignment whose method of concealment suggested that it could contain more prohibited items than they have previously encountered. Although the contents could not be fully examined at the point of interception, the officers suspected that the consignment warranted further investigation. A backup team was therefore deployed to escort it to the command for a more thorough examination.
His emphasis on collaboration also reflects the NCS administration’s policy thrusts of consolidation, collaboration and innovation under Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi which helps to strengthen enforcement and improve the command’s overall performance.
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