The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation following the arrest of one Ahmad Salisu by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, over an alleged attempt to smuggle undeclared foreign currency totalling $420,900, £5,825, CFA3,946,500 and Cameroonian CFA224,000.
The announcement was disclosed in a statement posted on the official X account of the EFCC on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Salisu was intercepted by Customs operatives during a routine check on Monday, July 7, 2025.
The cash was reportedly concealed in a polythene bag, wrapped in cloth and other fabrics, and hidden inside his luggage.
“The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has commenced a comprehensive investigation into the case of one Ahmad Salisu, arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for allegedly concealing and failing to declare the sum of $420,900 (Four Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Nine Hundred US Dollars), £5,825, (Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty Five Pounds Sterling), CFA3,946,500 (Three Million, Nine Hundred and Forty-Six Thousand, Five CFA) and Cameroonian CFA 224,000( Two Hundred and Twenty-Four Thousand Cameroonian CFA),” the statement read in part.
The EFCC stated that during interrogation, Salisu claimed he was transporting the undeclared funds on behalf of his brother, Auwal Ahmad, who is currently in Saudi Arabia.
He reportedly added that the money was intended for two individuals—Yusuf Adamu and Abdulhamid Rabiu—who were arrested at the airport upon arrival to collect the cash.
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The statement further revealed that after initial documentation, the Nigeria Customs Service officially handed over the three suspects and the seized funds to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Speaking during a joint press briefing at the NCS Kano/Jigawa Area Command, EFCC Zonal Commander Ibrahim Shazali reiterated the agencies’ commitment to fighting financial crimes.
“The EFCC and the Nigerian Customs Service, working in concert, have zero tolerance for illegal cash smuggling. Our surveillance is active, our intelligence is sharp, and our resolve to apprehend offenders is unwavering,” he stated.
- Customs Area Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar also emphasized that currency declaration is a critical component of Nigeria’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework.
- He stressed that such measures are vital to safeguarding the nation’s borders and protecting its financial system from criminal exploitation.
The EFCC confirmed that the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
