The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command, has intensified its crackdown on money laundering and terrorism financing through a strategic engagement with key stakeholders, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The initiative was highlighted during a high-level sensitisation forum held Tuesday at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Conference Room, themed “Anti-Money Laundering/Counter Financing Terrorism Procedures.”
Comptroller Effiong Harrison, head of the NCS MMIA Command, emphasized the need for continuous awareness, particularly on the inward and outward declaration of foreign currency, negotiable instruments, and precious items at designated customs desks.
“We’ve made remarkable progress since our last sensitisation in curbing non-declaration, false declaration, and under-declaration,” Harrison said. “Several suspects have been intercepted and handed over to the EFCC for prosecution.”
In a recent example of such enforcement, the command handed over $29,000 in under-declared currency to the EFCC for investigation.
EFCC Assistant Commander, Ibinabo Amachree, clarified the legal standing of currency declaration violations, stressing that non-declaration is a strict liability offense under the Money Laundering Act.
“Whether or not the suspect is aware of the law, once found with undeclared funds above the legal threshold, it’s grounds for prosecution,” Amachree explained. “The source of the money is irrelevant — the offense lies in the failure to declare.”
NFIU Chief Intelligence Analyst, Yepin Jacob, urged airline operators and airport authorities to enforce compliance measures, including:
• Distributing customs declaration forms onboard
• Making in-flight and terminal announcements
• Installing clear signage at arrival and departure points
NDLEA Commander at MMIA, Ahmadu Garba, linked financial crimes with drug trafficking, stating that every drug case carries a financial trail.
“We often receive intelligence on passengers’ origin, travel history, and financial activities before their arrival,” he said, calling for increased pre-arrival collaboration among agencies.
As the second half of 2025 begins, the Customs Command pledged to raise compliance standards and restore Nigeria’s international reputation through tighter border and financial control at its busiest airport.
This development comes amid growing global pressure on countries to tighten anti-money laundering (AML) frameworks and prevent financial systems from being exploited for terrorism or organized crime.
