Kano/Jigawa Customs Command Arrests 420kg Pangolin Scales, Vows To Protect Wildlife Species
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) Kano/Jigawa Command, has arrested and confiscated wildlife Pangolin scales worth millions of Naira smuggled into Kano city.
The Command’s Comptroller, Abubakar Dalhatu,displayed the Pangolin scales which weighed 420 Kilogrammes, at the command’s headquarters in Kano on Thursday.
Dalhatu said the arrest was made during a
a joint operation by the Command’s Special Wildlife Office, Intelligence Unit, and the Police Unit through a combined expertise and vigilance on July 16, 2025.
He said the operation was aimed at combatting illicit international trade in wildlife and associated crimes while protecting valuable species, protecting natural resources and mitigating threats to biodiversity, ecological balance and national security.
He warned that the command would not tolerate any threat to wildlife or wildlife-related crimes.
The comptroller commended the efforts of the officers involved in the operation, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale, and international partners for the feat achieved.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to increased surveillance through technological means to combat wildlife crimes to protect wildlife species.
Pangolin scales are made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails and hair. The scales which cover the pangolin’s body are large, hardened, and overlapping, acting as a protective armor for the animal.
It has been observed that Nigerian Pangolins are facing severe threats from illegal trafficking.
While pangolins are hunted for meat, their scales are also highly sought after for traditional medicine and other uses, especially in Asia.