The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation into a suspect, Haruna Yusuf, over multiple undeclared foreign currencies intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
The currencies, which include $73,000, £15,957 and 827,800 Saudi Riyals, were intercepted during two separate operations conducted by Customs officers at the airport.
The investigation commenced following the handover of the suspect and the undeclared currencies to the EFCC yesterday by the Acting Customs Area Comptroller of the Kano/Jigawa Command, Deputy Comptroller U. U. Adamu, at the Customs Area Command in Kano.
The Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC, Kano Directorate, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE1), Friday Ebelo, received the suspect and the recovered funds on behalf of the commission.
According to Adamu, the first interception was made on August 8, 2026, at about 2:20 p.m., when officers conducting passenger screening at the baggage section of MAKIA intercepted an unaccompanied Saudi Air luggage containing 827,800 Saudi Riyals and $53,300.
“The currencies were found concealed inside a footwear,” Adamu said.
The second interception occurred on August 12, 2026, at about 1:50 p.m., when Customs officers flagged a luggage belonging to Yusuf, who arrived at MAKIA aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET941.
Adamu said that during secondary screening using Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology, officers discovered $20,000 and £15,957 concealed inside sportswear shoes.
He thereafter formally handed over Yusuf, alongside all the recovered exhibits, to Ebelo for further investigation and prosecution.
Adamu said the handover was in accordance with Section 4(f) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which empowers the service to collaborate with other border regulatory agencies.
He said the interceptions demonstrated the readiness and vigilance of Customs officers in detecting the cross-border movement of undeclared foreign currencies above the permitted threshold.
“The Command will continue to deploy technology, professional expertise, and intelligence-driven measures, including inter-agency collaboration, to strengthen border controls and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s financial systems,” Adamu said.
Receiving the suspect and exhibits on behalf of the EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Ebelo expressed gratitude to the Customs Service for its professionalism and cooperation with EFCC officers recently deployed to the airport.
“We must sustain this vigilance at all our entry points to counter the illegal movement of currency. The failure to declare large sums of currency and its equivalent is a violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” he said.
Ebelo urged members of the public to comply with the law, stressing that declaring currency attracts no penalty, while the source of undeclared funds could raise legal concerns.
“Once more, we call on the general public: as much as we are Nigerians and we encourage trade in and out of the country, people must adhere to the laws of the land. You must declare the currency you are carrying. If you declare it, nobody will seize your currency,” he said.
Ebelo reaffirmed the EFCC’s commitment to conducting thorough investigations and prosecuting offenders in accordance with the law.
Both Ebelo and Adamu commended the longstanding collaboration between the EFCC and NCS, describing the partnership as critical to combating financial crimes and the illegal movement of cash across Nigeria’s borders.
