Customs intercepts Pangolin scales worth billions in Adamawa

Comptroller in- charge of Adamawa and Taraba, Kamaldeen Olumoh, told newsmen while displaying the exhibits on Tuesday in Yola, that the Pangolin scales was smuggled into Nigeria from neighbouring Cameroun and was seized in 2019.

“The command in 2019 seized about five sacks full of Pangolin scales being smuggled into Nigeria along the Nigeria-Cameroun international border.

“A long truck was apprehended along the Mubi-Yola federal highway carrying 266 bags of banned foreign rice. The rice was concealed inside 100 kg bags and two suspects were also arrested in connection with the contraband,” Olumoh said.

He said the command also intercepted an abandoned truck carrying about 35 drums of petroleum products around Belel Town in Maiha Local Government Area of the state.

The truck according to the commander was abandoned by suspected smugglers after it developed technical problems, revealing that in 2019, the command generated N161.9 million more than the given target of N148.6 million.

”In 2019, the command achieved major anti-smuggling feats with about 74 seizures of different contraband and arrest of 20 suspects,” Olumoh said.

Pangolin is an African and Asian mammal that has a body covered with horny over-lapping scales, a small head with an elongated snout, a long sticky tongue for catching ants and termites, and a tapering tail.

Pangolin scales like rhino horn have no proven medicinal value, yet they are used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with ailments ranging from lactation difficulties to arthritis.