ZAINAB JUNAID
Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command of Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a passenger for falsely declaring a total sum of Five Hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand United States Dollars ($578,000) on Wednesday, 19 March 2025.
Comptroller Harrison Addressing Journalists at Lagos Airport
Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Effiong John Harrison disclosed this at a short briefing held at Lagos Airport on Friday, saying the suspect, Mr. Okorie Sylvernus Sunday, who arrived from Johannesburg on a South African Airways flight SA60, initially declared a figure of two hundred and Seventy nine thousand united state Dollar ($279,000), but a further examination revealed an additional sum of two hundred and ninety nine thousand USD ($299,000) neatly concealed in different packages.
Comptroller Harrison signing Handover Documents
According to him, this add up bring the total money to five hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand USD ($578,000). “Also concealed was one hundred Euro (100 euro) and a counterfeit two hundred and fifty USD ($250),” he said.
Comptroller Harrison and EFCC Official
Comptroller Harrison explained that the passenger’s action violated the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, which requires passengers to declare currency exceeding $10,000 or its equivalent.
He emphasized that such acts undermine the financial market’s dignity and hinder the country’s growth.
His words, “We are here to showcase what we are doing in collaboration with security agencies to promote the security and safety of the country and facilitate the well being of the financial system. We have been having issues with people who have engaged in activities that are inimical to growth and prosperity of the economy.
“One of such set of people are those trafficking currency and their actions is not good for the economy because it’s capable of hindering our growth, depleting our currency and making public to loose trust in the financial system. So today, we want to let the public know that we are resolute in arresting and stopping this nefarious activities that has brought the country into a dispute with international community.
“We are ready and will continuously work together with organizations of the government to ensure that those who engage in this activity do not use the International Airport Command, to carry out their nefarious act. We want to promote a situation whereby the country is seen as an investment destination. We want to promote a system whereby the investors have confidence to come to Nigeria to do business”.
The passenger and his travel documents, along with the foreign currency was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.
This action, Comptroller Harrison noted, is in line with the policy thrust of Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi on collaboration, consolidation and innovation.
While receiving the exhibits, the EFCC representative, Acting Zonal Director, ACEI Ahmed Ghali, urged the public to declare cash accurately, especially amounts exceeding $10,000, to avoid penalties.
He stressed that honest declaration is required by law, and failure to comply will result in consequences.
“We are here to takeover the interception made on Wednesday. The passenger was discovered wanting of falsely declaring the cash he was carrying along. The provision of the law is very clear, and it’s incumbent on each and every person, whether going out of Nigeria or coming into the country to declare any cash in his possession in excess of $10,000.
“No matter how much is the amount, all what the law requires upon that person and is mandatory is declaration, an honest declaration that is required. Nobody will stop you from traveling with your cash in as much that you declare it, no matter the amount. So the rest for us to go about it.
“My advice for the public is to desist from the act of false or non declaration. This is because the law will catch up with them. We will not allow people that will sabotage our economy, our financial system and make us expose to lots of risks in terms of money laundering, been seen as a haul, and been blacklisted as a country that is condoning things like money laundering. So we urge members of the public to always declare their assets, be it cash, jewelries and in as much it’s up to $10,000.
“We will continue to synergies with our sister agencies to have a better country with strong economy and a very functional financial system. We will continue to collaborate with Customs and other sister agencies, as we share common goals, we have to discharge people’s mandate. We are always together,” he concluded.
