The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, has intercepted undeclared foreign currencies worth over ₦653.9 million at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), in a major operation targeting illicit financial flows and cross-border money laundering.
The interception, announced during a press briefing on Monday, July 8, 2025, at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano, also led to the arrest of three suspects. The seized funds and suspects were formally handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and prosecution.
Speaking at the briefing, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar—who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi—described the seizure as a significant milestone in the Service’s ongoing efforts to combat financial crimes tied to smuggling syndicates.
According to Abubakar, the operation was based on credible intelligence that led officers to flag a passenger, Ahmed Salisu, a Ghanaian national, who had arrived from Saudi Arabia aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Despite reminders to all arriving passengers to declare foreign currency exceeding $10,000, Salisu failed to comply.
A routine baggage check led to the discovery of large sums of foreign currency concealed inside cartons of clothing. The cash included $420,900 (USD), £5,825 (British Pounds), 3,946,500 West African CFA Francs, and 224,000 Central African CFA Francs—collectively valued at over ₦653.9 million.
“This interception demonstrates our commitment to national security and the effectiveness of our intelligence-driven enforcement,” Abubakar said. “It sends a clear message to criminal networks that our surveillance systems are working.”
He added that the operation aligns with an earlier directive by the Comptroller-General to strengthen awareness and enforcement of currency declaration regulations. As part of that initiative, the Command has been conducting sensitisation campaigns across Kano and Jigawa States, targeting Bureau de Change operators, travel agencies, airline personnel, and pilgrimage boards.
The EFCC’s Zonal Director in Kano, who received the suspects and seized funds, praised the strong collaboration between the Customs Service and the Commission. He reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to prosecuting financial crimes and emphasized the national security implications of cash smuggling.
“This is not just about the money—it’s about protecting Nigeria’s financial system from abuse,” the EFCC official said. “Illicit currency movements often serve as funding channels for terrorism, banditry, and other forms of transnational crime.”
He noted that the seizure and arrests were in line with the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which require travelers to declare any foreign currency above $10,000 at all entry and exit points.
The EFCC also urged increased vigilance across the aviation and financial sectors and called for continued intelligence sharing to prevent future breaches.
Both agencies commended the Customs officers involved in the operation and reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s borders and financial integrity through sustained enforcement and inter-agency cooperation.
