Nigerian Customs Seize 64 Donkey Skins Bound For China
Nigerian Customs Seize 64 Donkey Skins Bound For China
The Command also announced the seizure of other contraband goods valued at N112.59 million, warning that the persistent illegal trade in donkey hides could drive the species to extinction in Nigeria.
Operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, have intercepted 64 complete donkey skins being smuggled to China through the Republic of Cameroon.
The Command also announced the seizure of other contraband goods valued at N112.59 million, warning that the persistent illegal trade in donkey hides could drive the species to extinction in Nigeria.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday at the Customs House in Yola, the Area Controller, Comptroller Gambo Bature Bashir, said the latest interception followed intensified anti-smuggling operations across Adamawa and Taraba states.
According to Bashir, the Command recorded 29 seizures within six weeks of sustained patrols along major smuggling routes, including Mubi–Sahuda, Girei–Wuro Bokki, Jamtari–Farang/Belel, Wuro Alhaji, Damare River Bank, Gurin–Fufore, and Yerima Road in Gembu.
He listed the seized items to include 20,600 litres of petrol, 91 cartons of expired Tramadol capsules, 54 cartons of foreign soaps, and 64 complete donkey skins, noting that each hide represented a fully slaughtered animal.
Bashir reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to enforcing the federal government’s ban on the export of donkey hides and skins, adding that officers remain on high alert to combat wildlife trafficking and other forms of smuggling within the region.
“The illicit slaughter and export of donkey skins have increased across Nigeria due to their use in traditional medicine in China,” he said, warning that unchecked trade could drive donkeys into extinction.
He explained that the donkey skins were intercepted on September 30, 2025, at the Damare River Bank in Adamawa State, where smugglers had concealed the sacks of hides, waiting for nightfall to ferry them illegally through the waterways to Cameroon.
Bashir noted that the attempted export violated the Export Prohibition List (Schedule 6) of the Common External Tariff and Section 150 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which prohibits the export of donkey hides and skins.
Similarly, operatives intercepted 91 cartons of expired Tramadol in Mubi on August 30, 2025, following coordinated intelligence efforts.
He warned that the circulation of expired or falsified medical products poses grave risks to public health, adding that the seized items would be handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for appropriate action.
“If these expired Tramadol capsules had reached the public, they could have caused high morbidity and mortality, worsened drug abuse, and triggered violent crimes among youths,” he said.
The Command also intercepted 54 cartons of foreign soaps on October 3, 2025, along the Damare River Bank, stating that their importation violated the Import Prohibition List (Schedule 3) of the Common External Tariff (2022–2026) and Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
Bashir further disclosed that the 20,600 litres of petrol seized during the period would be auctioned to the public in accordance with established Customs procedures, with all proceeds remitted to the Federation Account.
He emphasised that the Command’s recent achievements were made possible through sustained intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration, and strong community engagement along Nigeria’s border corridors.
