Security forces who intercepted a group of young men smuggling over $6.1 million in cash at Lagos’ bustling Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA1) have handed them over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for deeper scrutiny.
The arrests unfolded at the domestic terminal on Friday, as the suspects prepared to board an Aero Contractors flight.
Routine screening by the Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit uncovered the staggering haul of undeclared foreign currency stashed among their belongings, prompting swift detention.
Multiple security sources, speaking anonymously to Sahara Reporters due to the sensitivity of the probe, described the men as likely couriers for a high-profile “politically exposed person” (PEP), though identities and flight destinations remain under wraps amid ongoing investigations.
This incident revives ghosts of past scandals at the same airport. In 2020, Nigerian Customs impounded $8 million hidden in a bus on the tarmac, a seizure hailed by then-Comptroller-General Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) as the fruit of sharp intelligence. “The money laundering was discovered through intelligence put in place by the command at the airport,” Ali had declared at the time, underscoring systemic vulnerabilities in Nigeria’s aviation hubs.
A senior AVSEC official, reached Saturday, emphasized collaboration with federal anti-graft hounds. “We are still working with the EFCC to unravel the full details,” the official said, hinting at a web of illicit flows possibly tied to political patronage.
The EFCC, notorious for high-stakes probes into elite corruption, now holds the suspects for interrogation. Sources suggest the cash could stem from dubious dealings, fueling calls for tighter border controls. As Nigeria grapples with economic headwinds and graft allegations swirling around its leadership, this seizure serves as a stark reminder: no terminal is too crowded for crime to slip through—until it doesn’t.
With the nation eyeing the 2027 polls, such busts could expose deeper rot in political finance.
EFCC spokespeople were unavailable for immediate comment