Tunde Bakare
The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced investigation of a suspect arrested with the sum of US$265,000 at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano State.
The suspect, Adam Musa Adam, a male passenger with a Nigerian passport arriving from New Delhi aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET941, was intercepted on Sunday, 26 September 2026 during routine screening operations by officers of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS. His luggage was flagged for secondary examination using Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology, leading to the discovery of the undeclared currency concealed among his personal belongings.
While handing over the suspect and exhibits to the EFCC, the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Usman Umar Adamu, reiterated that the movement of foreign currency above the approved threshold without declaration contravenes Sections 3 and 4 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, as well as relevant provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
He noted that from January to date, the Command has intercepted undeclared foreign currency and other negotiable instruments with a total value of over N2.5 billion. He emphasized that the handover was in line with Section 4(f) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Receiving the suspect and exhibits on behalf of the Commission, the Kano Acting Zonal Director, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Friday S. Ebelo, stated that the handover was a testament to the collective resolve to clean and sanitize the country’s financial ecosystem. He described the event as an example of meaningful interagency collaboration, from the seamless activities at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport to the strategic handover.
“The EFCC will conduct and carry out its established mandate by further investigating and prosecuting this case to its logical conclusion. In the life of a people, there comes a time that certain institutions become the beacon of hope by safeguarding our economy against illicit financial flows”, he said.
He expressed profound appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for creating an enabling environment for the collaboration. He also commended Adamu and his officers for their vigilance and commitment to enforcing the laws governing cross-border movement of currency.
“Let me, on behalf of my Boss, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, thank the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for the sustained partnership,” he said.