Authorities have identified the two travellers apprehended with $6.1 million in cash at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) in Lagos.
Security officers with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), under the Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit, detained the men as they attempted to board a flight on Saturday.
According to a reliable source at the airport, the suspects were named as Mahmud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi.
The duo was reportedly stopped during a routine security check on an Aero Contractors flight heading to Abuja. Multiple boxes filled with undeclared U.S. dollars were allegedly discovered in their possession.
Under Nigerian anti–money laundering regulations, anyone traveling with more than $10,000 in cash must declare the amount to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Sources at the airport said the travelers had earlier passed through several security points before their eventual arrest on the tarmac. The suspects were initially detained by FAAN AVSEC before being handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS), which subsequently transferred them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Further investigation revealed that the men had arrived in Nigeria from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and were scheduled to travel onward to Abuja and later Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Confirming the development, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said the suspects were now in the commission’s custody.
He stated, “I can confirm to you that the suspects – two of them – were intercepted today and upon their arrest by the operatives of FAAN, they were handed over to us. The officials of FAAN handed them over to the DSS and the DSS handed them over to us.”
Also commenting on the incident, Aero Contractors’ CEO, Ado Sanusi, explained what transpired before the arrest.
He said, “What happened was that our security noticed some passengers trying to board our aircraft with bags that were quite heavy. Our security team advised them to check the bags in, as they could not be carried into the cabin.
“They refused to check the bags, and later they said it was money. When asked if the money had been declared, they said no. At that point, our security personnel discovered that the individuals were either police officers or some form of security agents, who claimed they were escorting a suspect along with exhibits. That was why they resisted checking in the bags.
“We then informed them that if they were transporting a suspect, they were required to notify us in advance. There are standard procedures for moving suspects; we don’t mix them with regular passengers. There are boarding, deboarding, and in-flight protocols that must be followed in such cases. Since they failed to follow these procedures, they were not allowed to board, and they eventually left.”
The EFCC said the suspects and the seized cash were officially received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE1) Ahmed Ghali.
(DAILY TRUST)
