ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted $193,000 in undeclared cash at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The currency was discovered concealed inside a carton of yoghurt, according to a statement issued on Friday by Abdullahi Maiwada, the NCS spokesperson.
The passenger, who arrived in Nigeria on an Ethiopian Airlines flight, No. 951, from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, failed to declare the funds, violating the Anti-Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
These laws require travellers carrying over $10,000 or its equivalent in negotiable instruments to declare such amounts upon arrival or departure.
“Acting on intelligence, customs officers conducted a detailed inspection, leading to the discovery of the concealed cash,” Maiwada said.
The seized money has since been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Maiwada reiterated the NCS’s commitment to enforcing financial regulations and preventing illicit financial flows across Nigeria’s borders.
He urged travellers to comply with the legal requirement to declare any cash or negotiable instruments exceeding the approved threshold when entering or leaving the country.
“As required by law, we are handing over the forfeited funds to the EFCC for further necessary action,” Maiwada stated.
