The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has begun the investigation of a man intercepted recently at Kano Airport with the sum of $370,000 in his possession.
In a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said that the suspect, Adamu Rabiu Mohammed, was intercepted by Customs officers at the Kaduna International Airport on March 3.
Mohammed was preparing to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates when he caught the attention of the Customs men.
He was subsequently handed over to the EFCC for further investigation.
While commending the Nigerian Customs Service for its vigilance, EFCC Kaduna Zonal Head of Operations, Ibrahim Bappa, enjoined other Law enforcement agencies to work with the EFCC for a corrupt free Nigeria.
Bappa, reportedly assured the public that no efforts would be spared to get to the bottom of the matter.
Uwujaren said the suspect would be arraigned as soon as investigation was concluded.
Money Laundering (Prohibition ) Act, 2011 forbids individuals coming into or leaving the country from carrying above 10,000 dollars cash, except the amount is declared.
Section 2(3) provides that “transportation of cash or negotiable instruments in excess of 10,000 dollars or its equivalent by individuals in or out of the country shall be declared to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Section 2(5) states, “Any person who falsely declares or fails to make a declaration to the NCS pursuant to section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap. F34, LFN, 2004 is guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to forfeit the undeclared funds or negotiable instrument or to imprisonment of not less than two (2) years or to both.”
