Anti-graft agency investigates suspect caught with $420,900 and other foreign currencies hidden in luggage at Kano airport.
Kano, Kano State – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched an investigation into Ahmad Salisu, who was caught trying to smuggle foreign currencies through Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. Salisu was arrested on Monday, July 7, 2025, when customs officers discovered $420,900, £5,825, CFA3,946,500, and Cameroonian CFA224,000 hidden beneath clothes in his luggage during a security check.
Currency Discovery at Airport
Customs officers found the cash smuggling operation when they discovered multiple foreign currencies stuffed in a polythene bag beneath Salisu’s clothes. The combination of American dollars, British pounds, and Central African francs indicated organized criminal activity rather than normal travel funds.
The seizure represents one of the largest undeclared currency interceptions at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport this year. At current exchange rates, Salisu was carrying millions of naira worth of foreign currency without proper declaration.
Family Network Exposed
Salisu told investigators his brother Auwal Ahmad, living in Saudi Arabia, instructed him to deliver the money to two men in Kano. EFCC officers arrested Yusuf Adamu and Abdulhamid Rabiu when they arrived to collect the funds.
The coordinated arrests suggest an organized operation involving multiple people across different countries. “The EFCC and the Nigerian Customs Service, working in concert, have zero tolerance for illegal cash smuggling,” said Commander Ibrahim Shazali, EFCC’s Kano Zonal Director.
Investigation and Prosecution Process
EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale confirmed all three suspects and seized currencies have been transferred to the commission for investigation. The money laundering case will proceed through legal channels with possible prosecution.
Investigators will examine the source of funds, intended recipients, and connections to broader criminal networks. The suspects face potential prison sentences under Nigeria’s anti-money laundering laws.
Anti-Crime Enforcement Measures
Customs Area Comptroller Dalhatu Abubakar emphasized currency declaration requirements help prevent financial crimes. These measures protect Nigeria’s financial system from criminal exploitation.
“These measures are designed to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system and prevent the flow of funds to criminal networks, terrorists, and drug traffickers,” Abubakar stated.
The joint operation demonstrates increased cooperation between Nigerian security agencies in combating cross-border financial crimes and money laundering activities.
By Abdullah Korede
