The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, has intercepted undeclared foreign currencies valued at over ₦653.9 million at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.
The seizure, which involved cash concealed in cartons of clothing, was disclosed during a press briefing on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano. Three suspects, including a Ghanaian national identified as Ahmed Salisu, were handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and prosecution.
Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar, speaking on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the operation followed credible intelligence and routine clearance checks on arriving passengers from Saudi Arabia via Ethiopian Airlines.
“Our officers flagged the suspect, who failed to declare foreign currencies exceeding $10,000 as legally required. A physical search of his baggage uncovered $420,900, £5,825, 3,946,500 West African CFA Francs, and 224,000 Central African CFA Francs,” Abubakar stated.
He described the seizure as a major stride in tackling illicit financial flows and money laundering, emphasizing ongoing inter-agency collaboration with the EFCC and ICPC to protect Nigeria’s financial system.
EFCC’s Kano Zonal Director, who received the suspects and cash, praised Customs for their vigilance and stressed that the case is not just financial but national security-related, noting the link between cash smuggling and organized crime.
The interception, officials said, was part of broader efforts led by CGC Adeniyi to sensitise stakeholders—Bureau de Change operators, travel agencies, airline staff, and pilgrim boards—on currency declaration laws under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Both agencies pledged continued collaboration to prevent illicit financial activities and urged stakeholders in the aviation and financial sectors to remain alert and proactive.
