Nigerian customs authorities have intercepted over 1,600 exotic birds at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport, preventing their illegal export to Kuwait, officials announced Monday.
The seizure—one of the largest in recent years—included ring-necked parakeets and yellow-fronted canaries, among other species. Customs officials discovered the shipment on July 31 during a routine inspection. The birds were being transported without the required permits, including documentation under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
“This shipment had no CITES clearance or legal documents proving the birds were acquired lawfully,” said Michael Awe, the customs controller at the airport. “No illegal cargo will slip through under my command.”
The birds, likely destined for the exotic pet trade or private collections in Kuwait, were to be handed over to the National Parks Service as authorities launched an investigation into the smuggling network.
Nigeria has increasingly become a hub for wildlife trafficking, according to the 2024 UN World Wildlife Report, which ranks parrots, canaries, and raptors among the most targeted birds globally.