By Peace Udugba -The Daily Torch Media
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has intercepted a live Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle, also known as the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, during a routine patrol along the Nigeria-Benin border.
The interception, which took place on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at about 10:30 p.m., occurred along a footpath linking Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs John Tunde Ayagbalo, officers on routine patrol sighted a suspicious individual carrying a sack.
The suspect reportedly abandoned the sack and fled into a nearby bush upon noticing the patrol team, escaping arrest despite efforts by the officers to apprehend him.
A search of the abandoned sack led to the discovery of a live Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), which was immediately secured and kept in safe custody.
The animal was subsequently handed over to the relevant wildlife authorities for proper care, rehabilitation and eventual release into its natural habitat in line with established conservation practices.
The Command described the interception as another significant breakthrough in its efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, warning that the illegal trade in endangered species poses serious threats to biodiversity, ecosystems and environmental sustainability.
It noted that sea turtles, particularly the Olive Ridley species, face growing threats from illegal exploitation and trafficking for their meat, eggs, shells, traditional medicine and the exotic pet trade.
The Service further emphasised that 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.
Nigeria 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 the suppression of smuggling and illicit trade in endangered species.
Speaking on the development, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Norman Olisah Alumanah, described the interception as a demonstration of the vigilance, discipline and professionalism of officers of the Command.
He stressed that the Service would not allow Nigeria’s borders to become corridors for wildlife trafficking.
Alumanah expressed appreciation to 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.
He also urged members of border communities to provide credible intelligence to support the fight against wildlife trafficking, stressing that the protection of endangered species requires collective responsibility and cooperation.
The Acting Controller warned smugglers, poachers and their collaborators to desist from the illegal trade, disclosing that the Command had intensified patrols, surveillance and intelligence gathering across its area of responsibility.
He added that the Command would complement enforcement activities with stakeholder education and public sensitisation on the importance of endangered species, their ecological value and the legal consequences of their unauthorised trade.
The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, reiterated its commitment to revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, trade facilitation and border security, while sustaining its role in environmental protection and the preservation of Nigeria’s biodiversity for future generations.
