The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service last Friday, handed over a total of 36 live African Grey Parrots to officials of the Nigerian Parks Service.
At the event which was held at the command's headquarters in Ibafon, Apapa Lagos, the Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Odaudu Salefu said officers of the command had intercepted the endangered species being smuggled through the Badagry Creeks oversea, en route to Ghana.
Compt. Salefu attributed the seizure to his officers dedication to duty, explaining that his officers intercepted the boat while on patrol at midnight on the waterway between Abongo and T-junction, a notorious stretch of the breakwaters adjoining the international waters.
He said upon discovering the endangered species, he directed that they should be brought to the office, after which he contacted the NCS Headquarters in Abuja and was granted approval for the handing over to the Nigerian Parks Service.
Explaining the interception, he said, “My officers on patrol stopped a boat at about twelve minutes to one am on Tuesday. On moving closer they heard the sound of birds. A mini search was conducted on the boat, and they discovered it was carrying live African Grey Parrots. You are aware that Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), we cannot watch some unscrupulous traders send our animals into extinction.
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