The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into a suspect, Haruna Yusuf, following the interception of large sums of undeclared foreign currencies at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
The investigation commenced after the handover of the suspect and the undeclared currencies: $73,000 (Seventy-Three United States Dollars), £15,957 (Fifteen Thousand, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Seven Pound Sterling) & 827,800 Saudi Riyal, intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The currencies were handed to the anti-graft agency by the Acting Customs Area Comptroller of the Kano/Jigawa Command, Deputy Comptroller U. U. Adamu.
Naija News understands that the uncovered funds exceeded the legally allowed limit for passengers travelling without proper financial declaration.
It was reported that the funds were uncovered during routine primary and secondary baggage screenings conducted on arriving international passengers between August 8 and August 12, 2026.
Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Friday S. Ebelo, received the suspect and the exhibits on behalf of the commission’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.
Providing details of the operations, Adamu disclosed that Customs officers made two separate cash seizures at the airport within four days.
The first interception occurred on August 8, 2026, around 2:20 pm, when officers screening baggage uncovered 827,800 Saudi Riyals and $53,300 inside an unaccompanied Saudi Air luggage. The money was reportedly hidden inside footwear.
The second arrest happened on August 12, 2026, at about 1:50 pm, when officers flagged luggage belonging to Haruna Yusuf, who had reportedly just arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight (ET941).
While handing over the suspects, Adamu noted that the handover was in accordance with Section 4(f) of the NCS Act 2023, which empowers the Service to collaborate with other border regulatory agencies.
Adamu further explained that, “these interceptions demonstrate the readiness and vigilance of our officers in detecting cross-border movement of undeclared foreign currencies above the allowed 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.”
Receiving the suspect and exhibits on behalf of the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, Ebelo expressed profound 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.
He urged the public to comply with the law, emphasising that declaring currency attracts no penalty; only the source of undeclared funds may 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,” Ebelo said.
He reiterated the anti-graft agency’s commitment to thorough investigations and prosecution, stating that the Commission would continue to follow the law diligently
Both Ebelo and Adamu acknowledged the relationship between the EFCC and NCS, which has been critical to combating financial crimes and illegal cash movement across Nigeria’s borders.
