EFCC Probes $73,000; £15,957; 827,800 Saudi Riyals Intercepted By Customs At Kano Airport

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Directorate, has commenced investigation into the interception of undeclared foreign currencies totalling $73,000, £15,957 and 827,800 Saudi Riyals at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).

The currencies were intercepted by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) during routine screening of arriving passengers between August 8 and 12, 2026.

The suspect, identified as Haruna Yusuf, alongside the recovered currencies, was handed over to the EFCC by the Acting Customs Area Comptroller of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, Deputy Comptroller U.U. Adamu, at the Customs Area Command in Kano.

The Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC, Kano Directorate, Assistant Commander of the EFCC I, Friday S. Ebelo, received the suspect and exhibits on behalf of the Commission.

According to Adamu, the Customs Service made two separate interceptions during the period.

He said the first interception occurred on August 8, 2026, at about 2:20 p.m., when officers conducting passenger screening at the baggage section of MAKIA discovered an unaccompanied Saudi Air luggage containing 827,800 Saudi Riyals and $53,300.

Adamu said the currencies were concealed inside footwear.

He explained that a second interception was made on August 12, 2026, at about 1:50 p.m., when Customs officers flagged a luggage belonging to Yusuf, who had arrived at the airport aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET941.

“During secondary screening using Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology, $20,000 USD and £15,957 were found concealed inside sportswear shoes,” Adamu said.

He subsequently handed Yusuf and the recovered currencies over to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The Customs Area Comptroller said the handover was in accordance with Section 4(f) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which empowers the Service to collaborate with other border regulatory agencies.

Adamu said the seizures underscored the vigilance of Customs personnel in detecting attempts to move undeclared foreign currencies across Nigeria’s borders beyond the permissible threshold.

He added that the Command would continue to deploy technology, professional expertise and intelligence-driven measures, including inter-agency collaboration, to strengthen border controls and safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system.

Receiving the suspect and exhibits on behalf of the EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Ebelo commended the Customs Service for its professionalism and cooperation with EFCC personnel recently deployed to the airport.

Ebelo stressed the need for sustained vigilance at Nigeria’s entry points to curb the illegal movement of currency.

“We must sustain this vigilance at all our entry points to counter the illegal movement of currency. The failure to declare large sums of currency and its equivalent is a violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” he said.

He urged members of the public to comply with the law, stressing that declaring foreign currency does not attract any penalty, while failure to declare large sums could raise legal concerns regarding the source of the funds.

“People must adhere to the laws of the land. You must declare the currency you are carrying. If you declare it, nobody will seize your currency,” he said.

Ebelo reaffirmed the EFCC’s commitment to conducting a thorough investigation and prosecuting offenders where necessary, stressing that the Commission would continue to operate within the provisions of the law.

Both the EFCC and NCS officials commended the longstanding collaboration between the two agencies, describing the partnership as critical to combating financial crimes and preventing the illicit movement of cash across Nigeria’s borders.

COURTESY: prnigeria.com