Chinese man lands in Customs net for exporting N493m worth elephant tusks
A building occupied by a Chinese man identified as Kio Sui-Ying has been raided and sealed by the Nigeria Customs Service.
The building, located on Ogundana Street, off Allen Avenue, Ikeja was found to be housing elephant tusks and pangolin shells.
The Customs, led by Assistant Comptroller Mutalib Sule, acted on a tip-off and laid seige on the building Wednesday afternoon.
Sacks of elephant tusks and pangolin shells with a combined duty paid value of N493.5m were intercepted.
The occupant of the building, Chinese man Kio Sui-Ying, has been arrested as a suspect.
The Customs, displaying the items at the FOU headquarters in Ikeja on Thursday, said the seized items comprised 55 sacks of pangolin shells weighing 2,001 kilogrammes and valued at N408.32m, and 218 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 343kg and valued at N85.2m.
The Controller, NCS, FOU, Mohammed Garba, said the export of endangered species of animals like elephant and pangolin breached international protocols and conventions and that the Customs had increased responsibility for its implementation.
He said: “The United Nations charter on the preservation of endangered species entails that Customs administrations globally protect wildlife by intercepting illegal trade on such animals.
“It further prevents the killings of endangered species since the tusks are only available after the killing of the elephant or pangolin.”
Kio Sui-Ying, the suspect, denied having any knowledge and ownership of the items. He said the Customs men only brought the items from another place to his residence on Ondo Close, Ikeja, and began questioning him about them.
Garba said further investigations will be conducted on the matter.
No person was on ground for immediate comments when a Newsroom Nigeria correspondent visited the building.
The buildings remains under lock and key.
