The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has opened a probe into two travellers caught with undeclared foreign currencies amounting to over $6,000 and £53,000 at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
This development was disclosed in a statement shared on the agency’s verified X handle on Saturday.
According to the commission, operatives from the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 in Ikoyi identified the suspects as Mamud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi.
They were reportedly intercepted by personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria during a routine screening exercise.
Earlier, PUNCH Online had reported that the suspects were arrested at the foot of an Aerocontractors aircraft after attempting to travel with an undeclared cash amount of over $6.1 million. They allegedly claimed to be security officials escorting a suspect and the money as exhibits.
However, in its statement, the EFCC clarified that the two men, who had flown into Nigeria from Dubai via Addis Ababa and were heading to Abuja, failed to declare $6,180 and £53,415, as mandated by law.
After their arrest, the suspects were first handed over to the Department of State Services before being transferred to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The agency also confirmed the seizure of three mobile phones from the suspects at the time of the arrest.
The statement added that the suspects and the recovered items were officially received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Ahmed Ghali.
EFCC stated, “Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos, have commenced investigations of two travellers arrested by operatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, for allegedly failing to declare the sums of $6,180 and £53,415 cash in their possession.
“Also found on the suspects are three mobile phones. The suspects and the exhibits were received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Ahmed Ghali.”