KatsinaTimes , July 8, 2025
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, has intercepted over ₦653.9 million worth of undeclared foreign currencies at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), arresting three suspects and handing them over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The development was disclosed on Tuesday during a press briefing at the Customs House in Bompai, Kano, where the seized cash and suspects were officially handed over to the anti-graft agency.
According to Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the arrest was based on credible intelligence and marked a major success in the clampdown on illicit financial flows and money laundering.
The principal suspect, identified as Ahmed Salisu and in possession of a Ghanaian passport, was arrested after arriving from Saudi Arabia via an Ethiopian Airlines flight. Salisu failed to declare the foreign currencies as required by law, prompting Customs officers to conduct a search of his luggage.
The search revealed a total of $420,900 (US dollars), £5,825 (British pounds), 3,946,500 West African CFA Francs, and 224,000 Central African CFA Francs concealed in cartons of clothing. The total street value of the recovered cash was put at over ₦653.9 million.
Comptroller Abubakar said the interception reflects the Customs Service’s commitment to national security and its close collaboration with agencies like the EFCC and ICPC to combat financial crimes.
“This arrest sends a strong signal to smuggling networks: we are vigilant, and we will act. Our enforcement strategy now includes proactive monitoring, continuous sensitisation, and strict border surveillance,” he stated.
The Customs boss added that the operation is part of a broader campaign initiated earlier in the year by the Comptroller-General to educate border stakeholders on currency declaration requirements. The sensitisation drive targeted Bureau de Change operators, airline agencies, travel companies, and pilgrims’ boards across Kano and Jigawa States.
Receiving the suspects and the seized funds, the EFCC Zonal Director in Kano praised the synergy between both agencies. He stressed the national security risks of illicit cash movements, which he said often serve as funding channels for terrorism, banditry, and cross-border crimes.
He reaffirmed EFCC’s readiness to prosecute the case under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, both of which require mandatory declaration of foreign currency exceeding $10,000 at Nigeria’s borders.
“We commend the Customs for their vigilance. This isn’t just about money — it’s about cutting off lifelines to criminal activities,” the EFCC official said, urging stakeholders in aviation and financial sectors to remain vigilant and continue sharing intelligence.
