By Ayomide Otitoju
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into one Duru Ikechukwu Damian, who was arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for allegedly failing to declare $59,000 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The development was disclosed by the EFCC via its official X handle on Wednesday.
According to the Commission, Damian was intercepted by customs operatives on Monday during a routine check at the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Currency Declaration Desk. He was reportedly on his way to Dubai aboard an Emirates Airline flight.
While the suspect declared only $10,000, a search uncovered an additional $49,000, bringing the total amount found on him to $59,000.
During the formal handover to the EFCC on Tuesday, the Area Comptroller of the NCS at the airport, E. I. Harrison, said the process formed part of ongoing enforcement measures.
“When we intercept currencies, we do the needful by handing them over to the appropriate agencies of government. We have carried out sensitisation and made public announcements. At the airport, there are repeated reminders for travellers to declare their currencies, yet we still encounter people who fail to comply with the law,” Harrison stated.
Receiving the suspect, Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, ACE I Ahmed Ghali, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to enforcing money laundering laws.
“We will not relent in ensuring that any individual who violates the law does not go scot-free. Laws are meant to be obeyed, and we will continue to uphold them in line with our mandate,” Ghali said.
