A man identified as Salisu Ahmad has been imprisoned for concealing and failing to declare foreign currencies – including US $420,900, £5,825, CFA 3,946,500, and Cameroonian CFA 224,000, totalling ₦653 million, to officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
Ahmad was intercepted by Customs operatives during a routine check on Monday, July 7, 2025, at MAKIA. Upon physical inspection, it was discovered that the cash was concealed in a polythene bag covered with cloth and other fabrics inside his luggage.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed this on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, noting that Ahmad was jailed by Justice S.M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court siting in Kano.
According to the EFCC, he was convicted after pleading guilty to a one-count charge of failure to declare funds, contrary to Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, as brought against him by the Commission.
The charge against the convict reads: “That you Salisu Ahmad on or about the 7th day of July, 2025, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court while transporting the sums $420,900 (Four Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Nine Hundred US Dollars) £5,825 (Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty Five Pounds Sterling), CFA 3,946,500 (Three Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Six Thousand, Five Hundred CFA Francs), Cameroonian CFA 224,000 (Two Hundred and Twenty Four Thousand Cameroonian CFA Francs) collectively valued at the sum ₦653,000,000 (Six Hundred and Fifty Three Million Naira Only) into Nigeria from Saudi Arabia aboard Ethiopian Air (ET940) failed to make declaration of same to the Nigerian Customs and you thereby committed an offense contrary to Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 respectively.”
In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Mustapha A. Maiwada prayed the court to convict him accordingly.
Following diligent investigation and prosecution by the EFCC, Justice Shuaibu found the defendant guilty and convicted him based on his guilty plea.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the entire sum of undeclared money to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Upon arrest, the suspect reportedly disclosed that he was transporting the funds on behalf of his brother, Auwal Ahmad, who is still in Saudi Arabia to be delivered to two individuals, Yusuf Adamu and Abdulhamid Rabiu who were also arrested upon their arrival to claim the monies,” the Commission noted.
