The efforts of the Eastern Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service to checkmate smuggling in its area of jurisdiction have yielded a significant breakthrough in combatting wildlife
\ntrafficking by intercepting a substantial quantity of pangolin scales, elephant tusks and sacks of used second hand shoes.
\nA press statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the command, SC NE Tangwa, revealed that the seizure took place in the south-south coastal water-ways along Ibaka-Bakasi beach, highlighting Nigeria\u2019s unwavering
\ncommitment to the Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species of Wild Fauna And Flora (CITES).
\nThe statement stated that the operation led by diligent officers of the command resulted in the confiscation of a sizeable consignment of pangolin
\nscales and elephant tusks amounting to 365.4kg and six large sacks of used second hand shoes with a total duty paid value
\n(DPV) of Six Hundred And Eighty Million, Two Hundred And Ninety Thousand, Four Hundred Naira Only
\n(680,290,400.00) which are highly sought-after in illegal international markets.
\nThis interception represents a significant
\nblow to the illicit trade of these endangered species, reinforcing Nigeria\u2019s determination to protect its wildlife and fulfil its
\nobligation under the CITES convention.
\nThe Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mike Ugbagu thanked the management of the Nigeria Customs Service
\nfor deploying gunboats and logistic boats to the command.
\nAccording to the controller, these additional resources greatly enhanced the command’s
\nability to patrol and secure the south-south coatsal waterways effectively and combing the beaches effectively.
\nThe Eastern
\nMarine command CAC reiterated his commitment to provide officers with the necessary tools and support needed to
\nsafeguard the nation’s natural resources \/habitat.
\n“The seizure of the pangolins scales and elephant tusks underscores the urgent need for concerted global efforts to combat
\nwildlife trafficking.
\nThese heinous activities not only endanger vulnerable species but also contribute to organize crime and
\nillicit financial flows. Nigeria, as a responsible member of the international community, remains steadfast in its commitment
\nto combating wildlife trafficking and preserving its rich biodiversity,” Ugbagu noted.
\nThe controller commended his officers
\nfor their dedication and professionalism in executing this operation. The successful seizure of these wildlife products
\nshowcases the effectiveness of collaborative efforts between the enforcement agencies which the Customs Area Controller
\nsought for with the Nigerian Navy and other agencies operating along the waterways of Ibaka-Bakasi beach in curbing the
\nillegal wildlife trade and other forms of smuggling.
\nUgbagu reiterated that the Eastern Marine Command under his watch will continue to intensify its efforts
\nin combating wildlife trafficking and protecting Nigeria\u2019s natural heritage. This seizure of pangolin scales and elephant
\ntusks sends a strong message to wildlife traffickers in the area that their activities will not be tolerated and they will face
\nsevere consequences for their illegal activities if caught.
\nIt should be noted that Nigeria Customs Service is a government agency responsible for facilitating legitimate trade,
\nenforcing customs laws and combating illicit activities, including wildlife trafficking.
\nThe Area Controller
\nreinvigorated and strengthened the patrol teams along the waterways for a 24-hour patrol and combing of the beaches.
\nThis has yielded positive outcomes, leading to the significant seizure the command has just made.
\nAlso, a highly productive stakeholder engagement parley organized by the Customs Area Controller was held at the
\ncommand\u2019s headquarters in Port Harcourt, bringing together ship owners, agents and key stakeholders from the maritime
\nsector.
\nThe objective of the parley, according to the controller was to discuss and streamline the process of
\ncarrying out proper documentation of temporary importation papers, thereby enhancing the ease of doing business in the
\nmaritime industry in the south-south waterways. This parley showcase a strong commitment to facilitating international
\ntrade and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirement. Ship owners, agents and representatives from various maritime
\nenterprises actively participated in the discussions, sharing their experiences, challenges and valuable insights.
\nThe event served as a platform for open dialogue and constructive engagement, allowing stakeholders to address common
\nissues and propose practical solutions for improving the documentation process of temporary importation papers.
\nThe stakeholders expressed their appreciation to the Controller for such a meeting has not been held for a long time in the command.
\nComptroller Ugbagu called on the general public to assist the command with more useful information on the trade of
\nillicit wildlife.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The efforts of the Eastern Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service to checkmate smuggling in its area of jurisdiction have yielded a significant breakthrough in combatting wildlife trafficking by intercepting a substantial quantity of pangolin scales, elephant tusks and sacks of used second hand shoes. A press statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-maritime-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4133"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4134,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4133\/revisions\/4134"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peoplesforumonline.com.ng\/about\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}