Customs Intercept Foreign Currencies Worth N653Million at Aminu Kano Airport
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, has made a significant breakthrough in its fight against illicit financial flows with the interception of foreign currencies valued at more than ₦653 million at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
The operation, which resulted in the arrest of three suspects, was made public during a press briefing held at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano.
According to the Area Controller, Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar, who addressed journalists on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the seizure followed a tip-off and a thorough clearance operation by officers stationed at the airport. The key suspect, identified as Ahmed Salisu, a Ghanaian passport holder, was intercepted upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
Salisu had initially passed through the arrival terminal without declaring any large sums of foreign currency, despite being reminded like all passengers of the legal requirement to declare any amount exceeding $10,000. However, acting on credible intelligence, Customs officers flagged him for a secondary check. A physical inspection of his baggage revealed bundles of cash concealed inside cartons of clothing.
The discovery included U.S. dollars, British pounds sterling, and both West and Central African CFA francs. The total sum of the seized currencies, when calculated using prevailing exchange rates, was estimated at over ₦653.9 million. The Customs Service said the concealment and non-declaration of such a large sum raised strong suspicions of money laundering and other financial crimes.
Comptroller Abubakar emphasized that the seizure demonstrates the Customs Service’s renewed commitment to disrupting the financial operations of transnational smuggling networks. He noted that financial crimes are often closely tied to illegal trade and insecurity and stressed the importance of inter-agency cooperation in tackling such offences.
At the briefing, the seized currencies and the arrested suspects were formally handed over to officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who are expected to carry out further investigations and possible prosecution.
Describing the operation as a milestone, Abubakar stated that the Customs Service will continue to remain vigilant and proactive, particularly at Nigeria’s international airports, where illicit financial flows have become increasingly sophisticated.
He also urged the public, especially international travelers, to comply with currency declaration laws, warning that violators will be dealt with according to the law.
This latest interception adds to a growing list of successful anti-smuggling and anti-money laundering operations conducted by the Customs Service in recent months, as the federal government intensifies efforts to combat financial crimes and improve national economic security.
