Undeclared $578,000 Cash Seized at Lagos Airport by Customs Officials

The Nigeria Customs Service, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, announced the interception of $578 000 falsely declared from an inbound passenger arriving Nigeria from South Africa.

According to Customs Area Controller John Harrison, the suspect Mr. Okorie Sunday, arrived in Nigeria on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, with the undeclared cash hidden in his body. Harrison explained that the passenger’s suspicious behavior prompted search by customs officers.

“The passenger was said to have declared $279,000 and hid $299,000 on his body, bringing the total money to $578, 000. This contravenes the threshold of $10,000 approved by law,” Harrison said.

Additionally, the suspect concealed £100 and a counterfeit $250. The intercepted cash handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was jointly counted and confirmed by customs and the anti-graft agency.

Harrison emphasized that such unlawful behavior undermines the integrity of the nation’s financial system. He noted that customs has provided forms at airline counters for passengers to make lawful declarations.

While receiving the intercepted cash, EFCC Acting Zonal Director Ahmed Ghali, urged the public to avoid such crimes, advising that any cash over $10,000 should be declared as provided by law.

Ghali added, “Such an act exposes the country to money laundering and could make the country look like a hub for illicit financial inflows.” The EFCC will investigate and verify the authenticity of the money while taking further investigative action.