The identities of the two men arrested with $6.1 million in cash at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2), Lagos, have been revealed.
Sources at the airport identified the suspects as Mahmud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi, who were intercepted by operatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security (AVSEC) while attempting to board an Aero Contractors flight to Abuja.
It was gathered that the duo were found with multiple boxes filled with undeclared U.S. dollars during routine security checks.
Under Nigeria’s Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, passengers traveling with cash exceeding $10,000 are required to declare such amounts to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Airport sources said the suspects had already cleared other security checkpoints before they were apprehended on the tarmac following suspicion by airline staff.
The suspects were reportedly handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS), which later transferred them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
Confirming the development, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the suspects were in the custody of the anti-graft agency.
“I can confirm that the two suspects were intercepted today and handed over to us through the DSS after their arrest by FAAN operatives,” Oyewale stated.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi, explained that the airline’s security personnel became suspicious when the passengers refused to check in their heavy bags.
“Our security team observed that the passengers insisted on carrying unusually heavy bags into the cabin. When they were advised to check them in, they claimed the bags contained money which had not been declared,” Sanusi said.
“They later claimed to be security agents escorting a suspect and exhibits, but they could not provide prior notification or proper documentation. As such, they were not allowed to board the flight.”
The suspects and the seized cash were formally received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the Acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Assistant Commander ACE I Ahmed Ghali.
The EFCC has commenced investigation to determine the source and intended destination of the funds.
