Officials from the Nigeria Customs Service have seized a large consignment of exotic birds at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
More than 1,600 birds were discovered on July 31 at the airport’s cargo terminal, which has recently been earmarked for demolition and revamp under a government airport upgrade plan.
The shipment was headed to Kuwait and reportedly lacked essential documentation for legal export.
Among the intercepted birds were hundreds of ring-necked parakeets and both green and yellow-fronted canaries.
These species are considered protected under Nigerian conservation laws and global trade agreements.
Customs said the exporter failed to present a CITES permit — the international license required to trade endangered wildlife — along with other paperwork confirming the origin of the birds.
Authorities say this breach highlights ongoing challenges in monitoring wildlife trafficking through Nigeria’s air corridors.
The birds have since been handed over to appropriate wildlife agencies for care and investigation is underway.
