Upon arrival, the suspect was reminded of the legal obligation to declare foreign currencies exceeding $10,000.
Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted an undeclared sum of $420,900, along with £5,825 and several million CFA francs concealed in cartons of clothing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The seizure, valued at approximately ₦653.9 million, was announced at a press briefing on Tuesday by Dalhatu Abubakar, comptroller of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command.
Abubakar revealed that Ahmed Salisu, a Ghanaian passport holder arriving from Saudi Arabia via Ethiopian Airlines, failed to declare the funds as stipulated by law. “Upon arrival, the suspect was reminded of the legal obligation to declare foreign currencies exceeding $10,000,” he said. A physical inspection of his luggage uncovered the hidden cash.
Three suspects, including Salisu, have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to face charges under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed that investigations are ongoing and the suspects will be prosecuted. “The funds are to be delivered to two individuals who were also arrested upon their arrival to claim the monies,” he said.