The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has intercepted different foreign undeclared currencies running into several millions of naira within four months, at different entry points in the country.
The service, in data exclusively gotten by Shipping Position Daily disclosed that the currencies have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigations into possible money laundering and other transnational crimes.
The National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller of Customs (AC) Abdullahi Maiwada noted that the seizures, made between April and July 2025 only were recorded at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, and the Seme land border.
According to the Nigeria Customs Service, the interceptions were the results of proactive intelligence and strict enforcement of Nigeria’s currency declaration laws.
In details obtained by our correspondent last week, officers of the service in April 27, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport stopped an inbound passenger concealing $86,500, SR 305,150, and CFA 560,000 without any declaration. The Kano Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission secured the conviction and sentence of two suspects namely: Sale Bala and Abdullahi Tahir Hamisu before a Federal High Court sitting in Kano and presided over by Justice S.M. Shuaibu for failure to declare the sums in violation of Section 3(3) of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022. They were jailed after pleading guilty to a three- count charge bordering on money laundering.
The biggest bust came on June 7 at the same airport when $420,900, CFA 4,170,500, and Portuguese currency were recovered from another undeclared inbound passenger. The Customs Area Controller of Kano/Jigawa Area command, Dalhatu Abubakar, while confirming this at the Customs house in Bompai stated that the arrest followed credible intelligence and a clearance operation by officers at the airport.
In July alone, three interceptions were recorded. On July 8, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos officers caught an outbound passenger who declared $60,000 but was found with an extra $29,000.
Five days later, at the Seme border, an inbound traveler was caught with $20,000 and CFA 110,000. Also, officers of the NCS, during a patrol on Sunday, July 13, 2025, along the Babapupa bush paths near the Seme Border, intercepted a Nissan Almera car suspected of being a smuggled vehicle. The driver of the vehicle, upon sighting the officers, fled into the bush to avoid arrest.
On July 22, another outbound passenger, Phil-Olumba Ifunaya Sheila at Murtala Muhammed International Airport was arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service after declaring $4,000 and £1,000 but was later found hiding $14,567, £1,030, and CAD 40. Upon arrest, the suspect, who was scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom, claimed she had only $4,000 on her.
The Nigeria Customs Service said all the seized funds exceeded the $10,000 declaration threshold and were concealed to evade detection. The NCS stressed that offenders will face prosecution under Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
The EFCC through their official website confirmed receipt of the funds and said investigations are underway to determine links to organised crime. However, the Nigeria Customs Service pledged to sustain its crackdown on illicit financial flows through tighter border control, inter-agency collaboration, and robust intelligence gathering.
