EFCC Probes Undeclared $6.1m Seized at Lagos Airport

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has opened an investigation into two travellers who were intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with large undeclared sums of foreign currency.

The travellers were stopped during a routine security check shortly after arriving in the country from Dubai through Addis Ababa. Airport officials discovered over $6.1 million and £53,000 in cash concealed in their luggage, alongside several mobile phones.

They were immediately detained by airport security personnel and handed over to the Department of State Services for preliminary questioning before being transferred to the EFCC’s Lagos office for further investigation.

Violation Of Financial Disclosure Laws

Under Nigeria’s Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, travellers are required to declare any sum exceeding $10,000 or its equivalent upon entering or leaving the country. Failure to do so constitutes a breach of financial disclosure regulations and raises suspicion of money laundering or illegal financial activity.

The EFCC has confirmed that the suspects did not provide satisfactory explanations for the source or intended use of the funds. Investigators are examining whether the money was linked to cross-border cash smuggling, currency speculation, or illicit business transactions.

The agency said the recovered cash and other exhibits have been secured as evidence while the suspects remain in custody. Preliminary findings suggest that the undeclared currency was brought into Nigeria in an attempt to evade financial reporting systems.

A senior official familiar with the case noted that the Commission will follow due process to establish ownership and trace possible connections to local or foreign networks involved in illegal capital movements.

Part Of A Wider Crackdown

The latest interception adds to a growing list of similar seizures made in Nigerian airports in recent years. The EFCC, in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies, has intensified scrutiny of inbound and outbound passengers following concerns over illicit financial flows through airports.

In 2024, the Commission recorded several arrests involving undeclared funds and foreign currencies running into millions of dollars. Many of those cases led to prosecution or asset forfeiture, reflecting what authorities describe as a broader effort to tighten financial transparency at the nation’s borders.

Officials say these efforts are part of the government’s push to curb money laundering, terrorist financing, and other forms of financial crime that continue to undermine economic stability.

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The EFCC reiterated that its airport operations are ongoing and urged travellers to comply with all declaration requirements when carrying large sums across Nigerian borders.