The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adamawa and Taraba Area Command, has made intercepted contraband items worth over N67 million.

The seized items included 13,200 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) packed in 528 jerry cans, 1,925 liters of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) contained in 77 jerry cans, 11 sacks of second-hand clothing, Tramadol capsules – 5,710 of 100mg and 990 of 50mg, 185 packets of Benzhexol tablets, 111 live African grey parrots, and nine dead ones.

The Area Comptroller, Garba Bashir, revealed that officers recorded 19 seizures valued at N67,785,358 across various locations, including Mubi-Sahua, Goshindan-Farang, Belel, Girei-Woro Bokki, Gella, Fufore-Gurin, Damare Waterside, Apawa-Numan road, and the Savannah-Numan axis.

He said the illicit drugs were intercepted from a suspect along the Apawa-Numan road on June 19, concealed in charcoal sacks and recovered following credible intelligence.

Bashir emphasized the dangers of drug abuse, stressing that, “these drugs, when abused by youths, will induce them to perpetrate their nefarious activities. 

“Such drugs can be inimical to the health of citizens and undermine the security of the nation.”

The seized drugs and suspects will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while the parrots will be transferred to the World Parrot Trust for rehabilitation.

A suspected trafficker was caught on June 27 while attempting to smuggle the parrots from Cameroon through the Gurin border. 

The parrots were stuffed in six wooden boxes, leading to the death of nine due to poor handling. Bashir said the interception aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).