The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested an Aviation Security (AVSEC) Inspector, Ali Baffa, alongside two others, over alleged involvement in the smuggling of bulk cash and unprocessed gold at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The suspects — Baffa, an Inspector 1 with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria’s Aviation Security unit, and his alleged accomplices, Aushabu Nasidi and Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria — were intercepted on Friday, June 11, 2026, during a surveillance operation conducted by the EFCC’s Land and Property Fraud Section.
The operation followed what the Commission described as a directive to intensify enforcement against the smuggling of mineral resources and large cash movements through international airports.
Preliminary investigations indicated that Baffa allegedly concealed 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars, valued at over ₦4.4 billion, on his person in an attempt to evade security checks and transfer the items to overseas-bound passengers for illegal export.
The EFCC further disclosed that Nasidi, who was also arrested, allegedly supplied the gold bars to Baffa. A search reportedly uncovered various foreign currencies in his possession, including Saudi Riyals, Turkish Lira, Kuwaiti Dinar, Philippine Peso, Australian Dollars, Chinese Renminbi, Algerian Dinar, Hong Kong Dollars, Hungarian Forint, and Sudanese Dinar.
Investigators also arrested Dan Zaria, who is alleged to have supplied the gold bars to Nasidi. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to smuggling approximately 40.2 kilograms of gold between June 1 and June 11, 2026, using a similar method.
The Commission said all suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
