Customs Seizes ₦653.9m Undeclared Cash at Kano Airport

By Oluwakemi Kindness

In a major crackdown on illicit financial flows, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kano/Jigawa Area Command, has intercepted over ₦653.9 million worth of undeclared foreign currency at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).

The bust, made during a clearance operation on Monday, 8 July 2025, led to the arrest of three suspects, including Ahmed Salisu, a Ghanaian passport holder arriving from Saudi Arabia via Ethiopian Airlines.

Customs officials say the suspect failed to declare large sums of foreign currency as legally required, prompting a search that uncovered concealed cash inside cartons of clothing.

Recovered funds include $420,900, £5,825, 3.9 million West African CFA Francs, and 224,000 Central African CFA Francs, all hidden in the suspect’s baggage.

Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar, who briefed the press on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the operation as a strategic victory in the war against cross-border financial crimes.

“This interception is not a stroke of luck but the result of credible intelligence, robust surveillance, and inter-agency collaboration,” he said.

The seized cash and suspects have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and prosecution.

EFCC Zonal Director in Kano commended Customs for the operation and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to prosecuting offenders under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the **Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

“This is not just about undeclared currency; it’s about national security,” the EFCC official stated, warning that cash smuggling is often linked to terrorism financing and organized crime.

Customs noted that the interception follows months of stakeholder sensitisation in Kano and Jigawa, targeting Bureau de Change operators, airline staff, and pilgrim boards, to reinforce compliance with currency declaration laws.

“This is a strong message to smuggling networks—our borders are being watched, and enforcement is active,” Comptroller Abubakar warned.