The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted an undeclared sum of $193,000 concealed within a yoghurt carton at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The suspect, 40-year-old Kamilu Abdullahi Sarina, arrived aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight 951 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Acting on credible intelligence, customs officials conducted a detailed inspection of Sarina’s luggage, utilizing advanced scanning technology that detected irregularities. Upon further examination, they discovered the concealed cash.
Failure to declare funds exceeding $10,000 upon entry or exit violates the Anti-Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. Offenders may face forfeiture of the undeclared funds, imprisonment of up to two years, or both.
The intercepted currency has been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and prosecution. The NCS reiterated its commitment to enforcing financial regulations and warned travelers against attempting to bypass currency declaration rules.
