The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has begun investigating two men over the alleged failure to declare $461,600 at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State.
The EFCC said in a statement Monday that the suspects, Jamilu Shuaibu Waya and Usman Namadi, were arrested May 8 after arriving in Nigeria from Dubai on an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
They were intercepted by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service Kano/Jigawa Area Command during routine currency declaration checks.
The agency said the men initially declared $130,000 and $180,000, respectively, at the airport currency declaration desk.
However, Customs officers later allegedly discovered additional undeclared cash during a physical search.
The EFCC said an extra $120,000 was found on Waya, bringing his total to $250,000, while $31,600 was discovered on Namadi, bringing his total to $211,600.
The agency said the undeclared funds violated Sections 3 and 4 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
During the handover of the suspects, Customs Area Controller Deputy Comptroller U.U. Adamu commended cooperation between Customs and the EFCC.
“We appreciate the continuous collaboration with the EFCC Kano Zonal Directorate for their support in combating illegal movement of cash,” he said.
EFCC Kano Zonal Director ACE1 Friday S. Ebelo said the commission would conduct a full investigation and prosecute if necessary.
“The EFCC will conduct a thorough and uncompromising investigation into this matter,” he said.
He also praised inter-agency cooperation in combating money laundering and illicit cash movements.
The suspects and the seized cash have been transferred to the EFCC Kano Zonal Directorate for further investigation.
