The University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has given reasons why the institution took delivery of over 600 snakes, millipedes and other animals, which Nigerian Customs Service intercepted in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
It was learnt that the consignments of reptiles stored in three boxes were brought into Calabar from the Republic of Cameroon and intended to be delivered to an agent in Lagos, for onward transmission to Luxembourg.
Speaking in Uyo, during the first analysis session of the samples on Monday, August 21, the custodian of the animals, Dr. Edem Eniang, said the Federal Government chose him to keep the animals because of his expertise in snakes and other reptiles.
PUNCH reports that 10 reptiles’ specialists led by Eniang, examined the animals at the university.
Eniang, a leading herpetologist, who heads the Wildlife and Ecology Unit of the Department of Forestry and Natural Environmental Management, said, “I was chosen to keep the animals because I specialise in reptiles and did my PhD on snakes. I am a global authority on snakes.
“The FG knows I am an expert in snakes and reptiles having been given the task of analysing the true state and conditions of the animals before making recommendations to the government. I am to analyse and report to the FG on the true status of the animals.”
Eniang, a former employee of the Cross River National Park, added that the seized snakes were taken from South West Cameroon, which shares the same contiguous zone with Southeast Nigeria.
He stated that being an authority in such environment, the FG did not have to look far to ascertain the right man to keep the animals.
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The three boxes containing the animals were first opened at the weekend under the supervision of the Minister of Environment in Calabar, and Eniang said a number of them may have died owing to offensive odour coming out of the boxes.
Eniang said UNIUYO has been blessed to be recognised to provide the custody for the animals. He noted that the animals would be extremely useful for education, research, science and other academic exercises.
He revealed that many institutions have been seeking to take some samples from the university for research and other academic programmes since UNIUYO took the delivery of the animals last week.
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