EFCC launches investigation into undeclared foreign cash intercepted at airport

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has launched an investigation into the arrest of two travellers found in possession of undeclared foreign currencies valued at $6,180 and £53,415 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

Confirming the incident to journalists, Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Capt Ado Sanusi, said: “My head of security reported to me that a flight was slightly delayed because one of our security agents noticed some passengers carrying heavy luggage into the cabin and advised them to check in the bags if the cabin could not accommodate them.

“But they said they could not check it in. When asked why, they replied that it was because the bags contained money. They were then informed that they should have declared it, as there are procedures that must be followed before boarding our flights with money.

“Then they said they were security agents carrying a suspect, and the money was supposed to be an exhibit. Our security agents now said, ‘Why are you carrying a suspect? We have the procedure for carrying a suspect, we have ways in which we check in a suspect, board and deboard a suspect.’

“But then, another security agent came and said they would not travel. So, they were deboarded at that point. We are not sure how much the money is.”

In a statement issued on Saturday evening, the EFCC confirmed that its operatives have started questioning two suspects identified as Mamud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi in connection with the intercepted funds.

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The anti-corruption agency, however, put the recovered cash at $6,180 and £53,415, equivalent to N9 million (at N1,471 to a dollar) and N105.5 million (at N1,976 to a pound) in that order.

“EFCC commences investigation of two suspects for undeclared $6,180 and £53,415 at Lagos Airport,” the commission said in a Twitter (now X) post.

According to the statement, operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the commission are leading the probe.

The suspects were reportedly nabbed during a routine airport check on Saturday at the point of boarding a flight to Abuja.

The EFCC said investigations revealed that they had just arrived in Nigeria from Dubai via Addis Ababa.

Following their arrest, the EFCC said the travellers were handed over to the State Security Service (SSS), which subsequently transferred them to the EFCC for further interrogation and possible prosecution.

The commission added that three mobile phones were also recovered from the suspects during the operation.

According to the EFCC, the exhibits and suspects were received by Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting zonal director, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I) Ahmed Ghali.