Kano court jails man for ₦653m undeclared cash

The Federal High Court sitting in Kano has sentenced Salisu Ahmad to prison for failing to declare large sums of foreign currency upon arrival at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).

Justice S.M. Shuaibu delivered the judgment after Ahmad pleaded guilty to one count of non-declaration of funds, in violation of Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ahmad was intercepted by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) operatives on July 7, 2025, while arriving from Saudi Arabia aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET940. A routine search at MAKIA led to the discovery of $420,900, £5,825, CFA 3,946,500, and Cameroonian CFA 224,000 — collectively valued at approximately ₦653 million — concealed in a polythene bag and hidden beneath clothes in his luggage.

The charge read in part:
“That you, Salisu Ahmad, on or about the 7th day of July, 2025, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, while transporting the aforementioned amounts into Nigeria from Saudi Arabia, failed to make a declaration to the Nigerian Customs and thereby committed an offence.”

Upon Ahmad’s guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, Mustapha Maiwada, urged the court to convict him accordingly.

Justice Shuaibu found the defendant guilty and ordered the forfeiture of all the undeclared funds to the Federal Government.

During interrogation, Ahmad confessed that he was carrying the money on behalf of his brother, Auwal Ahmad, who remains in Saudi Arabia.

He further disclosed that the funds were intended for delivery to two individuals — Yusuf Adamu and Abdulhamid Rabiu — both of whom were arrested when they arrived to claim the cash.

The case underscores ongoing efforts by the EFCC and Customs Service to combat money laundering and enforce transparency at Nigeria’s borders.