Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted $1,154,900 and SR135,900 undeclared foreign currency at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) in Kano State.

Abdullahi Maiwada, NCS spokesman, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

He said the seizure was made recently during a routine baggage check on an inbound passenger, Hauwa Ibrahim Abdullahi, who arrived on Saudi Airline Flight No. SV401 from Saudi Arabia.

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According to Maiwada, during the physical examination of the passenger’s luggage conducted by NCS Officers, the undeclared currency was discovered concealed within date fruit packs locally referred to as Dabino.

He stated that the interception aligns with the NCS’s commitment to enforcing financial regulations and preventing illicit financial flows across Nigeria’s borders.

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“In line with established procedures, the suspect and the seized foreign currency have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and necessary legal action,” the statement read.

“Subsequently, the court convicted the defendant as charged and ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared money to the Federal Government in line with the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.

“The Service reiterates that all travellers must comply with Nigeria’s financial regulations, particularly the legal requirement to declare any cash or negotiable instruments exceeding the approved threshold when travelling in or out of the country.”

He said the the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022 and the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995, provide clear guidelines on currency declaration,adding that non-compliance with these regulations constitutes a violation of Nigerian law and attracts severe penalties.

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“The Service, therefore, urges the public to adhere strictly to these requirements to avoid legal consequences,”Maiwada added.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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