Olayinka Akinpelu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted undeclared foreign currencies valued at over N653.9 million at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), in what authorities describe as a significant blow to illicit financial flows and money laundering networks in Nigeria.
The seizure was disclosed during a press briefing on Tuesday, 8 July 2025, at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano, where the NCS officially handed over the confiscated cash and three suspects, including a Ghanaian passport holder, Ahmed Salisu, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.
Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar, the Customs Area Controller for Kano/Jigawa Command, who spoke on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the arrest followed credible intelligence and a targeted clearance operation at the airport.
“Upon arrival from Saudi Arabia aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight, the suspect was reminded of his legal duty to declare any foreign currency exceeding \$10,000.
He declined. Our officers, acting on intelligence, subjected his luggage to further checks, which led to the discovery of foreign currency hidden inside cartons of clothing,” Abubakar said.
The physical search uncovered \$420,900, £5,825, 3,946,500 West African CFA Francs, and 224,000 Central African CFA Francs, collectively worth over N653.9 million.
The Customs chief described the seizure as a “testament to the Service’s renewed focus on proactive enforcement and national security,” adding that the operation stemmed from an ongoing crackdown initiated earlier this year by CGC Adeniyi to combat illicit financial activities.
Abubakar also noted that the command had intensified stakeholder sensitisation across Kano and Jigawa, targeting Bureau de Change operators, airlines, travel agencies, and pilgrim boards to improve compliance with currency declaration laws.
Speaking on behalf of the EFCC, the Zonal Director of its Kano Office praised the inter-agency collaboration and stressed the broader implications of the crime.
“This case is not just about undeclared money; it is about national security. Cash smuggling has long served as a financial channel for terrorism, banditry, and transnational crimes,” he stated.
“The EFCC, under the leadership of Executive Chairman Ola Olukoyede, is committed to prosecuting the suspects to the full extent of the law.”
He cited the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which mandate the declaration of foreign currency exceeding \$10,000 at all entry and exit points in the country.
The EFCC urged stakeholders in the aviation and financial sectors to remain vigilant and continue sharing intelligence to prevent similar security threats.
The suspects remain in EFCC custody as investigations continue, with the agencies promising full prosecution as a deterrent to criminal financial networks.
