The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command, has intercepted a total of $578,000 from an inbound passenger arriving from South Africa.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Okorie Sunday, was found to have falsely declared the amount upon arrival.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, John Harrison, disclosed this during a press briefing on Friday.
He explained that the suspect initially declared $279,000 but concealed an additional $299,000 on his body, violating Nigeria’s financial declaration laws, which set the legal threshold at $10,000.
Harrison noted that the passenger’s suspicious behavior led officers to conduct a thorough search, which uncovered the undeclared cash. Along with the U.S. dollars, the suspect was also found in possession of £100 and a counterfeit $250 note.
The seized money has since been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation. The cash was counted and verified in a joint effort between customs officials and the anti-graft agency.
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Harrison warned that such illegal activities undermine the nation’s financial integrity and reiterated that customs has provided declaration forms at airline counters to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Speaking while receiving the seized cash, the acting Zonal Director of the EFCC, Ahmed Ghali, urged travelers to abide by the law by declaring any cash exceeding $10,000. He emphasized that money laundering activities damage Nigeria’s global financial reputation and that the EFCC will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the legitimacy of the intercepted funds.
Authorities have vowed to continue stringent enforcement measures to prevent illicit financial activities at the country’s borders and entry points.
