NESREA destroys 700 sacks of seized donkey parts to curb illegal trade

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) said it has destroyed 700 sacks of donkey parts, which were confiscated and handed to it by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Kaduna.

The agency’s assistant director of press, Nwamaka Ejiofor, disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday that the operation was part of a broader push to curtail illegal trafficking and commercialisation of donkey parts across Nigeria.

According to the agency, the exercise was conducted between 3 and 6 October in Kaduna in compliance with environmental and safety protocols.

“Two facilities were utilised for the incineration of the bones, while the skins were buried in a designated area. The exercise was carried out in the presence of regulatory officers and in line with environmental standards,” the statement noted.

Efforts to curb wildlife trafficking

Nigeria has earned a bad name for itself in recent years as a major hub for the illicit wildlife trade, serving as both a conduit and destination for traffickers operating between Africa and Asia.

Lax border controls, systemic corruption, and poor enforcement have fuelled illegal trade in endangered species in the country.

In January, the customs service intercepted a container conveying more than 4,410 pieces of donkey skins valued above ₦4.2 billion.

The incident, officials said, was in breach of Nigeria’s prohibition of trading in endangered species and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), of which Nigeria is a signatory.

“With the quantity of donkey skins intercepted, it is evident that over 4,000 donkeys were slaughtered illegally. This is a grave violation of CITES, and we are committed to unmasking the individuals behind this illicit trade,” said Kola Oladeji, Comptroller of the FOU, at the time.

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‘Successful exercise’

NESREA described the recent destruction as a “successful exercise” carried out in collaboration with the NCS to ensure environmental safety.

The operation comes months after the agency incinerated over 100 bags of donkey genitals handed over by the customs service in Abuja.

In his remarks, the director-general of NESREA, Innocent Barikor, lamented the vanishing population of donkeys in Nigeria and warned that the species faces an increasing threat of extinction if the illegal trade continues to go unchecked.

Mr Barikor remarked that donkeys are now targeted by traffickers for medicinal and aphrodisiac purposes.

“The destruction of these donkey parts is intended to discourage illicit trade and reinforce the federal government’s stance against the illegal exploitation of endangered species,” he said.