The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the interception of an undeclared sum of $193,000 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
In a statement on Friday, NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada revealed that the cash was hidden inside a carton of yoghurt.
According to Maiwada, the passenger carrying the money arrived in Nigeria aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight No. 951 from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
He explained that the undeclared funds violated the Anti-Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, which mandate travellers to declare amounts exceeding $10,000 or its equivalent upon arrival or departure.
“Acting on intelligence, customs officers conducted a detailed inspection, leading to the discovery of the concealed cash,” the statement reads.
**“The seized money has been formally handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“As required by law, we are handing over the forfeited funds to the EFCC for further necessary action.”**
Maiwada reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to enforcing financial regulations and preventing illicit financial flows. He also urged travellers to comply with the declaration requirements for cash and negotiable instruments exceeding the approved threshold.
