The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized $1.154 million and 135,900 Saudi Riyals in undeclared foreign currency at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The interception was made during a routine baggage check and was announced on Thursday by the Customs National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada.

According to Maiwada, the undeclared cash was discovered hidden inside palm-date fruit packs—locally known as Dabino—in the luggage of an inbound passenger, Hauwa Ibrahim Abdullahi. She had arrived on Saudi Airline Flight No. SV401 from Saudi Arabia.

The seizure underscores the NCS’s commitment to enforcing financial regulations and curbing illicit financial flows across Nigeria’s borders.

Following established procedures, the suspect and the confiscated money were handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and legal action. The court later convicted the defendant and ordered that the undeclared funds be forfeited to the Federal Government under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.

Maiwada reiterated that travelers must comply with Nigeria’s financial regulations by declaring any cash or negotiable instruments exceeding the approved threshold when entering or leaving the country. He emphasized that both the Money Laundering Act of 2022 and the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act of 1995 provide clear guidelines on currency declaration to prevent financial crimes.