Travel/Tourism
Closure of Imo State Zoo Will Affect Conservation Education, Tourism—NAZAP
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Nigerian Association of Zoological Gardens and Wildlife Parks (NAZAP) has said the alleged plan to close the Imo State Zoo in Nekede would negatively affect conservation education, research and tourism in Nigeria.
In a statement, the group advised Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State to reconsider this decision, saying it would send the wrong signal to the global community, especially after he promised during the 2020 World Wildlife Day commemoration in Owerri, Imo State, that his administration would upgrade the facility to international standards.
It has been rumoured that the Imo State Zoo would be shut down, and efforts by NAZAP to prevent this have been futile.
In the statement made available to Business Post, the association expressed dismay at the action, saying it was not consulted as a critical stakeholder in the sector.
NAZAP described the Imo State Zoo as one of the thriving zoos in the country, noting that its closure will be like a policy somersault.
“The Imo State Zoo is a key member of NAZAP and amongst the earliest that blazed the trail in national zoo development. Its in-situ conservation scheme is registered amongst international conservation stakeholders, both in the index of liveable cities, climate change and in the aspects of sustainable development,” the group stressed.
“Our pioneer NAZAP Year Book has equally listed Imo State Zoo amongst its thriving national assets, thus deserving pride of place.
“We will be saddened by this turn of event, if true, especially as the zoo is now the only surviving zoo in the South East of Nigeria,” it added.
NAZAP further disclosed that, “Bringing closure to this facility, as being alleged, will be a costly narrative for conservation education, research and tourism in Nigeria, in view of the zoo’s status as a major facility for field practical training of students, renewable natural resource, environmental, ecological and biological sciences centre.”
“NAZAP has thus advanced the option of encouraging pertinent partnerships with prospective private sector investors in ensuring the zoo’s overall development and sustainability,” it stated.
“However, in the event of any properly planned relocation of any zoo, the intended new location is meant to be fully developed before the animals are translocated.
“In contemplating the movement of a large number of animals, many of which are on the threatened or endangered list, the strategic and technical inputs of several agencies such as NESREA, VCRN, WISON and the National Park Service, including NAZAP should be factored,” the organisation stated.
It warned that “there is every need for such exercises as zoo closure to be appropriately guided to guard against untoward logistical or ecological eventualities.”
“It is in the light of the above relevant circumstances that we advise that the state government initiate the required protocols of engagement with the above-stated professional stakeholders if indeed the closure of such a facility is contemplated,” NAZAP declared.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
In a move aimed at improving passenger clearance, compliance and customs operations, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has introduced the Simplified Customs Advanced Declaration System (SCADS).
This platform was launched at the International Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday, May 18, 2026.
This initiative will simplify baggage declaration for inbound international passengers and reduce manual bottlenecks, improve transparency in revenue assessment and enhance operational efficiency at Nigeria’s international airports.
It allows passengers to declare items before arrival, thereby reducing clearance time while improving compliance and operational integrity.
The introduction of this scheme became necessary following operational challenges encountered on the Service’s previous passenger declaration platform earlier this year, and rather than allow the setbacks to slow operations, customs chose to develop a stronger and more efficient alternative.
“When the earlier platform experienced operational challenges, we chose not to see it as a setback. We saw it as an opportunity to build something better, stronger and more efficient.
“For passengers, this system creates the opportunity for advance declaration before arrival. It means faster clearance, easier compliance and smoother movement through our airports,” the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Ms Oluyomi Adebakin, said yesterday.
She noted that the system will eliminate subjective revenue assessment by ensuring that duties are automatically generated based on declared items, their quantities, and their actual values.
“When we talk about revenue collection, it is not about collecting more or less. It is about collecting the right revenue. With this system, assessment will now be more objective, accurate and driven by data,” she stated.
Earlier, the Customs Area Controller for FCT Area Command, Comptroller Victoria Alibo, described the selection of the command for the pilot phase as a vote of confidence in its operational capacity.
According to her, the new platform integrates passenger baggage and e-commerce declarations into a single digital framework designed to support global Customs best practices.
“SCADS is designed to simplify declarations, reduce clearance time, eliminate manual bottlenecks and align our operations with international standards,” Ms Alibo said, adding that the pilot phase will run for five days, from Monday, May 18, to Friday, May 22, 2026, during which officers will evaluate the system in a live environment ahead of nationwide deployment.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The price of aviation fuel, also known as Jet A1, has been reduced by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals to N1,650 per litre from N1,750 per litre.
The company, in a statement, said this price slash was done to ease cost pressures on airlines and ensure an uninterrupted fuel supply across the country.
This is in addition to a 30-day interest-free credit facility backed by bank guarantees (BG) for marketers and airline operators and a shift from a dollar-denominated pricing structure to a naira-based model.
The private refiner also stated that these interventions come amid growing concerns over the rising operational costs faced by domestic carriers, with aviation fuel accounting for a significant portion of airline expenses.
Industry stakeholders have repeatedly warned that escalating Jet A1 prices were placing severe financial strain on operators and threatening the sustainability of flight operations.
The refinery’s decision is expected to provide relief to airline operators by lowering fuel procurement costs, improving operational stability, and supporting efforts to moderate airfares.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a final forfeiture order for a Hawker private Jet 125 before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, over its links to fraud, corruption, and money laundering in relation to the Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP).
The aircraft, with model number 800XP, serial number 258553 and registration number 5N-AMK, was forfeited following an application by the EFCC.
Justice Nwite, ruling on the application, held that no sufficient cause was shown by Valiente Jet Limited, a company owned by Mr Abdulsalam Kachallah, an interested party, why the aircraft should not be finally forfeited to the Federal Government.
“The interested party has not demonstrated with evidence the lawful origin of the funds used to purchase the aircraft,” the judge held, stressing that the disguised manner through which the aircraft was acquired using the name of a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator who denied knowledge of the nature of the transaction further lent credence to the unlawfulness of the entire transaction.
In a statement by the anti-graft agency, it disclosed that the investigation revealed Mr Kachallah entered into unlawful agreements with China Machinery Engineering Company (CMEC) through shell companies.
The EFCC also alleged that he sold privileged bidding information relating to the project in exchange for financial inducements.
“The investigation further showed that CMEC was subsequently awarded three contracts under the project valued at $52,120,172 (Fifty Two Million One Hundred and Twenty Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy Two Dollars) and ₦20,213,956,953 (Twenty Billion, Two Hundred and Thirteen Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty Three Naira),” it said.
The EFCC revealed that part of the contract funds was routed through Afuwa Integrated Services Limited, a Bureau De Change operator, under the false claim that the company was subcontracted by CMEC.
“CMEC transferred the sum of $2,070,000 (Two Million, Seventy Thousand Dollars) into the Stanbic IBTC Bank account of Afuwa Integrated Services Limited on Kachallah’s instruction,” it further revealed.
It disclosed that forged invoices were prepared in the name of Afuwa Integrated Services Limited to falsely portray that legitimate services had been rendered to CMEC.
“The funds were thereafter transferred to a Brazilian account for the purchase of the aircraft from a Brazilian company,” the EFCC revealed.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn