Joyce Mmereole Okoli

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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has intercepted a live Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, also known as the Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle, in a renewed crackdown on wildlife trafficking along the Nigeria-Benin border.

The endangered marine animal was recovered on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at about 10:30 p.m. during a routine patrol by Customs officers along a footpath linking Nigeria with the Republic of Benin.

According to a statement issued by the Command on Friday, November 13, the officers sighted a suspicious individual carrying a sack. However, upon noticing the approaching patrol team, the suspect reportedly abandoned the sack and fled into a nearby bush, escaping arrest despite efforts by the officers to apprehend him.

A search of the abandoned sack subsequently revealed a live Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), which had been concealed inside.

The animal was immediately secured and kept in safe custody before being handed over to the relevant wildlife authorities for appropriate care, rehabilitation and eventual release into its natural habitat in accordance with established conservation practices.

The interception represents another significant enforcement milestone for the Seme Area Command and underscores the Nigeria Customs Service’s growing commitment to curbing the illegal trade in protected wildlife species.

Wildlife trafficking remains a major transnational organised crime, with far-reaching consequences for biodiversity, environmental sustainability and national security. Sea turtles, particularly the Olive Ridley species, face increasing threats from illegal exploitation for their meat, eggs, shells, traditional medicine and the exotic pet trade.

The Nigeria Customs Service noted that such activities endanger the survival of vulnerable species, disrupt marine ecosystems and undermine global conservation efforts.

Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), adopted in 1973 to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

The country domesticated the convention through the Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) Act, Cap E9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which criminalises the unauthorised hunting, capture, possession, trade, importation and exportation of endangered species.

The Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, also empowers the Service to enforce relevant laws governing importation and exportation, including measures against smuggling and illicit trade in protected wildlife.

Speaking on the interception, the Acting Customs Area Controller of the Seme Command, Deputy Comptroller Norman Olisah Alumanah, described the operation as a demonstration of the vigilance, discipline and professionalism of officers deployed to the border corridor.

Alumanah stressed that the Service would not allow Nigeria’s borders to become transit routes for the illegal trafficking of endangered wildlife, assuring that the Command would sustain its enforcement efforts against individuals and networks involved in such activities.

He also commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, PhD, MFR, DSM, fnipr, fniia, psc+, and the management of the Service for providing enhanced logistics and operational assets to strengthen the Command’s enforcement capacity.

The Acting Area Controller called on residents of border communities and other stakeholders to support the Service by providing credible intelligence that could assist in identifying and apprehending wildlife traffickers.

He emphasised that the fight against wildlife trafficking required collective responsibility and the cooperation of well-meaning Nigerians, warning smugglers, poachers and their collaborators to abandon the illegal trade.

According to him, the Command has intensified patrols, surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations across its area of responsibility to prevent the movement of prohibited and endangered species through the border.

He further disclosed that the Command would complement its enforcement activities with stakeholder engagement, public education and sensitisation campaigns to raise awareness about the ecological importance of endangered species and the legal consequences of their unauthorised exploitation and trade.

The Seme Area Command reiterated that the Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to its statutory responsibilities of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, trade facilitation and border security, while strengthening its contribution to environmental protection and the preservation of Nigeria’s rich biodiversity for future generations.

The Command said it would continue to work with relevant agencies and conservation authorities to ensure that Nigeria’s borders are not exploited by individuals seeking to profit from the illegal wildlife trade.