Who imported poisonous snakes into Nigeria?
published 26th Sept. 2017
Few
weeks ago, the Nigeria Customs Service intercepted three consignments
containing 140 species of poisonous snakes and 660 other animals which were
identified as geckos, millipedes, hairy frogs and spiders, all imported from
Cameroon. Two months after, the government is yet to disclose the identity of
the people behind the importation.
The
containers which were brought in aboard a Cameroonian vessel ‘MV Flesh’ through
the Calabar waterway to the National Inland Waterways Authority jetty in
Calabar, Cross River State were intercepted by vigilant officers on July 24 on
arrival at the NIWA jetty. The agent who brought in the consignment from
Cameroon said they were given to him by a friend to deliver to someone in Lagos
while Captain of the vessel that brought in the consignment said he did not
spot the containers before departure from Cameroun.
The
consignments are prohibited items under Schedule 3 of the Revised Import
Prohibition List (Trade) in the Common External Tariff and this gives rise to
questions regarding the intention of the importer.
This
unfortunate development is coming on the heels of a report alleging that
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State owns a snake farm at his Oracle Farm along
Naka Road, Makurdi.
In
a country where millions of people are living in abject poverty, it is sheer
wickedness for somebody to spend millions of naira to import dangerous animals
that are capable of wiping out an entire community and these calls for urgent
action by the federal government.
There
is immediate need for the officials of the State Security Services to be
deployed to all the farms owned by private individuals in Nigeria with a view
to exposing those behind the recent importation of dangerous reptiles into the
country. The agent who brought in the container load of reptiles said he was to
deliver it to somebody here in Nigeria, so the law enforcement agencies should
compel him to disclose the identity of the owner of the goods and make arrests
promptly so as to forestall the reoccurrence of such a deathly transaction in
the future.
Recall
that in October 2015, snakes fleeing the flooded areas in communities in Kanam
and Kanke Local Government Areas of Plateau state bit no fewer than 50 persons within
2 weeks. The reptiles which comprised carpet vipers, cobras and black mambas
were reported to have been pushed from River Benue by over flown tributaries.
Nigeria
as a country is bedeviled with many social, political and economic problems and
as such cannot afford to be plagued with snake bites now or at any other time
in the future.
Although
the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services, NAQS, has assured Nigerians that
the animals might be returned to the wild or zoos after investigation, the federal
government should without further delay, disclose the identity of those
responsible for the importation and follow it up by prosecuting them in the law
court to serve as a deterrent to others.
Boko Haram: Nigeria's greatest albatross
Published December 18th 2011Until the year 2009, Nigeria remained a relatively peaceful country with minimal incidence of terror and organized destruction of lives and property but shortly after the assumption of office of President Goodluck Jonathan as the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, certain disgruntled elements among the radical Islamic religious group in Nigeria suddenly invoked the idea that western European education is an abomination, and as such, commenced the wanton destruction of lives and property, particularly, lives and property associated to western European orientation.
Just few months ago, the radical Islamic sect called Boko Haram, meaning ‘Western education is sinful’, proudly claimed through their spokesman that they are on the payroll of the governors of the States in Northern Nigeria. As if to give credence to such claims, the present governor of Bornu State, who had earlier given a whooping sum of N100million naira as compensation to the family of a Boko Haram leader who died in police custody has continued to make utterances that are capable of instigating the terror group to wax stronger in their acts of bombings and killings of innocent Nigerians
Some members of the terror group who were apprehended recently by law enforcement agents confessed that they were being sponsored by some highly placed Nigerians, including some ex-governors and a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria, all of whom are of Northern Nigerian origin.
The fact that a Commissioner of police in Nigeria (now dismissed from service) facilitated the escape from custody of a Boko Haram member who is being investigated for his role in the Christmas day bombing of Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State, leaves no one in doubt that the nation called Nigeria is gradually heading towards disintegration. As if the actions of Zakari Biu(the dismissed Commissioner of police) was not enough, the former Inspector General of the Nigerian Police, Hafitz Rigim, upon retirement from office, was reported to have left with a cell phone belonging to the alleged Christmas day bomber, thereby denying his predecessor the opportunity to use the phone as evidence against the accused. The said cell phone is said to contain call logs and text messages from high profile politicians and government officials.
Available records show that the terror group has sent over 1000 innocent people to their untimely grave since they began their terror activities in 2009.
The initial move by President Goodluck Jonathan aimed at initiating dialogue between the terrorist group and the Federal government of Nigeria failed because Mr. President did not understand the rules of the game. The Boko Haram are mere tools in the hands of influential and blood-thirsty Nigerian Politicians who are bent on causing confusion and instigating sectarian crises in Nigeria.
If Nigeria is to survive as a nation, something urgent needs to be done to reverse the present trend of terror in the country.
