The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone “B” Command, Kaduna, said, on Tuesday, that it intercepted two consignments of donkey meat and bones valued at N3bn.
It said the donkey meat and bones were part of the illegal items it seized in the zone between April 17 and May 17, 2024.
The Customs FOU Zone B comprises Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kogi, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Comptroller of the FOU, Zone ‘B’, Ahmadu Bello-Shuaibu, who made the disclosure in Kaduna, also said four suspects were apprehended in connection with smuggled donkey bones and meat.
Addressing journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday, the comptroller said, “It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to today’s brief interaction on the activities of the unit from 17th April to 17th May 2024.
“Of great importance is the interception of the illegal products of donkey perpetrated by some unscrupulous elements with no regard for the lives and preservation of endangered species like the donkey, which is near extinction.
“It is, therefore, with a personal sense of sadness to announce that our officers and men on two separate occasions, impounded consignments of donkey bones and donkey meat, respectively, with a combined Duty Paid Value of about N3bn.
“On April 25, 2024, operatives of the unit, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted one truck with registration number GGE 526 XL along the Sokoto-Gusau Road in Zamfara State conveying illicit goods, which were brought to Kaduna for further examination.
“Upon careful examination, the truck was discovered to be conveying 750 sacks of donkey bones. The DPV for the donkey bones was estimated at N2, 363,500,000 only. It would interest you to know that one suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Again on May 5, 2024, at about 0310hrs, the operatives of the unit intercepted two Canter trucks carrying dried donkey meat along the Kontagora-Tegina Road in Niger State. After 100 per cent physical examination, the trucks were found to contain 860 sacks of dried donkey meat. Three suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.”
Bello-Shuaibu said the zonal Customs command also seized 58,740 sachets of tramadol and 48,000 ampules of Analgine injection on May 2, 2024, along the Saminaka-Nimbiya-Kafanchan axis of Kaduna State.
“These illicit drugs were neatly concealed with motor spare parts but our eagle eye was able to catch up with them. The DPV of these illicit drugs is N167,500 only.”
He listed other seized items as 12 vehicles, 174 bags of foreign rice (50 kg each), 234 jerrycans of petrol (25 litres each), 109 bales of second-hand clothing, 367 cartons of spaghetti, 50 cartons of Macaroni, 47 jerrycans of foreign vegetable oil.
Others included six sacks of used shoes,
100 sacks of snuff, 30 bags of foreign sugar (25kg each), 2,255 cartons of herbicide chemicals, 10 cartons of foreign couscous, 235 Bags of Foreign flour (25kg each) and over 100 cartons of general goods as well as 24 cartons of analgine drugs.
The Customs chief warned smugglers and other criminal elements in the zone to rethink their activities, vowing that officers and men of the command would carry out their duties without fear or favour.
