The Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command stated that they seized $578,000 which was inaccurately reported by an incoming traveler arriving from South Africa.
John Harrison, who serves as the Customs Area Controller for the command, made this announcement when speaking to reporters at the facility on Friday.
He stated that the suspect, Mr. Okorie Sunday, entered the country on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, without declaring the funds, which were concealed within his body.
As he described, when the passenger reached the airport, they began behaving oddly, prompting a search by the officers who were working.
"The passenger reportedly stated they had $279,000 but concealed an additional $299,000 on their person, making the grand total $578,000. This amount exceeds the legal limit of $10,000 set by statute," Harrison explained.
Harrison mentioned that the suspect additionally hid £100 and a fake $250.
The money transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was verified and authenticated through a joint counting process involving both customs officials and the anti-corruption body.
The CAC emphasized that this illegal activity erodes the credibility of the country’s financial framework.
Harrison noted that customs has supplied forms at each airline counter for travelers to complete their legal declarations.
When collecting the seized funds, Acting Zonal Director of EFCC Ahmed Ghali implored the community to steer clear of criminal activities and reminded everyone that all cash amounting to more than $10,000 must be reported according to legal requirements.
Ghali further noted that engaging in such activities would leave the nation vulnerable to money laundering risks and might portray it as a center for unauthorized financial transactions.
He mentioned that the EFCC will examine and confirm whether the funds are authentic or counterfeit as they proceed with additional investigation.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. Syndigate.info ).
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