Customs MMAC Foils Illegal Export of Over 1,600 Birds at Lagos Airport
The Nigeria Customs Service, Murtala Muhammed Area Command, has intercepted a large consignment of bird species illegally destined for export to Kuwait.
According to the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Michael Awe, the seizure, which took place on Thursday, 31 July 2025, involved over 1,620 live birds comprising Ringnecked Parakeets (parrots) and Green and Yellow Fronted Canaries.
He noted that the interception resulted from routine checks carried out by vigilant officers of the command. “No illegal shipment will slip through the cracks under my watch at the airport, because the eagle eyes of our officers are everywhere to detect and intercept”, Comptroller Awe declared.
“As Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), we are therefore charged with the responsibility to ensure that the international trade in specimens of this kind follows due process, accompanied by required permits as well as other required documentations”, he added.
The CAC revealed an ongoing investigation to identify and prosecute those behind the illegal export attempt.
He noted that the command will hand over the birds to the National Park Service (NPS), which is responsible for rehabilitating and reintroducing endangered species into their natural habitats.
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