The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken custody of two suspects arrested with $6.1 million cash at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) in Lagos.
Officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security (AVSEC) intercepted and detained the two travelers as they attempted to board a flight.
A reliable airport source identified the suspects as Mahmud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi.
They were apprehended during standard screening of an Aero Contractors flight bound for Abuja.
It was gathered that the travelers were in possession of several boxes containing undeclared U.S. dollars.
Media reports indicated that under Nigeria’s money laundering law, anyone traveling with more than $10,000 in cash must declare it to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
It was further learned that the individuals had already passed through airport security before being stopped on the tarmac.
Sources confirmed that FAAN’s AVSEC officers handed the suspects over to the Department of State Services (DSS), who subsequently transferred them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It was also gathered that the suspects had arrived from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and were scheduled to travel to Abuja before continuing to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the two men are in the commission’s custody.
He said, “I can confirm to you that the suspects—two of them—were intercepted today and upon their arrest by the operatives of FAAN, they were handed over to us.
“The officials of FAAN handed them over to the DSS and the DSS handed them over to us.”
Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Ado Sanusi, also commented on the incident.
“What happened was that our security noticed some passengers trying to board our aircraft with bags that were quite heavy. Our security team advised them to check the bags in, as they could not be carried into the cabin.
“They refused to check the bags, and later they said it was money. When asked if the money had been declared, they said no. At that point, our security personnel discovered that the individuals were either police officers or some form of security agents, who claimed they were escorting a suspect along with exhibits. That was why they resisted checking in the bags.
“We then informed them that if they were transporting a suspect, they were required to notify us in advance. There are standard procedures for moving suspects; we don’t mix them with regular passengers. There are boarding, deboarding, and in-flight protocols that must be followed in such cases. Since they failed to follow these procedures, they were not allowed to board, and they eventually left.”
The suspects and the cash exhibits were received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the Acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I) Ahmed Ghali.
