In a major anti-smuggling breakthrough, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) have intercepted a large consignment of exotic birds en route to Kuwait. The birds, numbering over 1,620, were seized on July 31, 2025, as part of the Service’s ongoing efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and biodiversity.
The interception, carried out under the leadership of the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Michael Toyin Awe, was the result of routine inspections by vigilant officers of the MMIA Command.
According to Comptroller Awe, the seized birds included Ring-necked Parakeets (parrots) and Green and Yellow-fronted Canaries—species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). He stressed that such consignments are required by international law to be accompanied by valid CITES permits and other documentation proving the legality of the trade and ensuring it does not endanger the species’ survival.
“Under my watch, no illegal shipment will pass through this airport. My officers are on high alert at all times. Their eagle eyes are trained to detect and intercept any unlawful activity,” Awe affirmed.
The Nigeria Customs Service noted that Nigeria, as a signatory to CITES, is committed to preventing illegal wildlife trafficking and ensuring that international trade in endangered species is regulated, responsible, and sustainable.
While investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those behind the attempted smuggling, the fragile birds will be handed over to the National Parks Service (NPS) for rehabilitation and possible reintroduction into their natural habitat.
The handover underscores the Customs Service’s commitment to inter-agency cooperation, in line with the policy direction of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi Adewale, MFR, who also serves as the current Chairman of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council.
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