MMIA Customs Hands Over Undeclared Foreign Currency to EFCC

By Femi Anamelechi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Muritala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) Command has reiterated it’s zero tolerance for currency smuggling at the handing over of intercepted foreign currencies to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The MMIA Customs made the disclosure during press briefing held on Tuesday, 22 July 2025 at the Customs Area Controller. The Customs Area Comptroller (CAC) Effiong Harrison pointed out that two separate interceptions were made at the NIPOST Terminal by vigilant operatives of the command. Comptroller Effiong Harrison said the first interception involved a parcel containing large volumes of foreign currency from Zimbabwe and Vietnam. “During examination, we discovered someone was trying to bring in excess notes into Nigeria. It is part of our duty to prevent such infractions” Harrison stated.

According to him, the parcel contained 1.1 trillion Zimbabwean dollars and 1.6 million Vietnamese dong, adding that such large denominations raised suspicions of potential abuse. Comptroller Harrison while explaining the second arrest, said a passenger attempted to smuggle undeclared cash above the regulatory threshold. “We’ve always advised passengers to declare their funds. We do not tolerate wrong, false or under declaration especially if it is above the $10,000 threshold. Note that, individuals that don’t abide by the directives will be handed over to the appropriate authority”, he stated. The seized cash $14,567, £1,030, and CA$4, along with the suspect’s passport, and travel documents, were handed over to the EFCC for further investigation. In his reaction, Assistant Superintendent I of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Office, Muhammad Adamu, commended Customs for their proactive role in protecting Nigeria’s financial system.”The collaborative spirit we shared has been instrumental in achieving our shared objective.”He assured that further investigation will begin, to determine the legitimacy of the currency in compliance with our existing law.

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