The undeclared foreign currency was discovered after two passengers arriving from Dubai aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight on May 8, 2026, were subjected to additional screening by customs operatives.
According to a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Tahir Balarabe, the suspects initially declared $130,000 and $180,000, respectively.
However, further non-intrusive baggage profiling triggered suspicion among officers.
Subsequent searches led to the recovery of an additional $151,600 concealed and not declared, bringing the total amount intercepted to $461,600.
The suspects, alongside the recovered cash and relevant travel documents, were later handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
Speaking during the handover at the Customs Command headquarters in Bompai, Kano, Deputy Comptroller Usman Adamu stated that the suspects had violated the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which mandates travellers to make truthful declarations of funds carried across borders.
He explained that under the law, any traveller carrying cash above the approved threshold must declare it to authorities, warning that failure to comply raises suspicion of financial crimes.
Adamu commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and the EFCC for strengthening intelligence-driven enforcement and continuous capacity building for officers.
Receiving the suspects on behalf of the EFCC, Acting Zonal Director in Kano, Friday Ebelo, said the anti-graft agency would ensure thorough investigation and prosecution of the matter.
“Any traveller carrying funds above 10,000 dollars is expected by law to declare them. Anything short of that raises serious concerns about money laundering,” Ebelo stated.
He assured that the case would be pursued to a logical conclusion as part of ongoing efforts to combat illicit financial flows and strengthen Nigeria’s anti-money laundering framework.
