JUST IN: Nigeria Customs Seizes $578,000 from Inbound Passenger at MMIA
0
0
JUST IN: Nigeria Customs Seizes $578,000 from Inbound Passenger at MMIA
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a substantial sum of $578,000 from an inbound passenger arriving from South Africa.
Comptroller John Harrison, Customs Area Controller, announced the seizure at a press briefing in Lagos today, revealing that the passenger, Okorie Silvanus Sunday, had hidden the money on his body.
According to Harrison, the passenger’s suspicious behavior prompted customs officers to conduct a further search, leading to the discovery of the undeclared funds.
READ ALSO: APC Women Leader, Hajiya Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim, Hosts Ramadan Iftar for Stakeholders in Abuja
INCNews247 reports that Sunday had declared $279,000 but concealed an additional $299,000, exceeding the approved threshold of $10,000.
The seized cash was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with both customs and the anti-graft agency jointly counting and verifying the value.
Harrison emphasized that such unlawful behavior undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system.
He noted that customs has provided forms at airline counters to facilitate lawful declarations.
Acting Zonal Director, Ahmed Ghali, representing the EFCC, urged the public to avoid similar crimes, stressing that declarations are required for cash exceeding $10,000.
He warned that failure to comply exposes the country to money laundering and illicit financial inflows.
The EFCC will investigate the authenticity of the seized funds and take further action.
