EFCC Launches Probe into $86,500 and 305,150 Riyals Seized at Kano Airport
posted 28th April 2025
EFCC Launches Probe into $86,500 and 305,150 Riyals Seized at Kano Airport
Kano, Nigeria – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Directorate, has initiated an investigation into the seizure of $86,500 (Eighty-Six Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars), 305,150 Saudi Riyals (Three Hundred and Five Thousand, One Hundred and Fifty), and 200 Euros intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Sunday, 27 April 2025.
The foreign currencies were discovered in an unaccompanied bag suspected to have been smuggled into the country. The bag was intercepted when a clearing agent, Sale Bala, attempted to retrieve it. Customs officers, upon inspection, found the funds concealed within bedspreads (duvets) and date packs tucked inside the luggage. Further investigation led to the arrest of Bala and a second suspect, Abdullahi Tahir, who was allegedly tasked with receiving the bag after clearance.
The seized funds were handed over to the EFCC by Chief Superintendent of Customs, CSC Abdulahi Hashim, and received on behalf of the Commission by Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE11 Aminu Bashir. Both suspects and the confiscated currencies are currently in EFCC custody, with the Commission stating that they will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
The EFCC commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its vigilance and underscored the critical role of inter-agency collaboration in protecting Nigeria’s economy. The Commission, in partnership with Customs and other stakeholders, is intensifying efforts to educate the public on the legal requirements for cash movement and the penalties for non-compliance.
On Saturday, 26 April 2025, the EFCC, in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Customs Service, organised a sensitisation programme in Kano. The event aimed to educate stakeholders on the legal framework governing the movement of cash in and out of Nigeria, as stipulated in Nigerian laws and regulations. Attendees included representatives from the bureau de change community, travel agencies, airport authorities, pilgrim boards, and the Kano Chamber of Commerce & Industry, reflecting widespread engagement across sectors.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to curbing financial crimes and ensuring compliance with regulations to safeguard Nigeria’s economic integrity.
