Suspect Arrested With $184,800 At Kano Airport
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over a man arrested with $184,800 and wads of Saudi Riyals (SAR) at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, Kano State, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Sabo Suleiman “was nabbed when he came to claim an unaccompanied luggage which arrived aboard an Ethiopian Air flight ET911 from Saudi Arabia through Addis Ababa,” a statement by the EFCC said on Friday.
The anti-graft agency’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said in the statement that Mr Suleiman concealed the wads of foreign currency notes in a diaper pack when he was arrested on June 17, in a joint operation involving the operatives of the commission, the State Security Service (SSS), and the NCS.
Contained in the diaper packs were bales foreign currency notes valued at $184,800 and 723,310 Saudi Riyals, EFCC said.
The dollar component is worth over N76 million at the official exchange rate of $1 to N411, while the Riyal is worth about N79 million at the official exchange rate of SAR1 to N110.
Mr Uwujaren said the Area Comptroller in charge of Kano/Jigawa Command of the NCS, Suleiman Umar handed the suspect to the Kano Zonal Office of the EFCC on July 1.
The commission which lauded the inter-agency collaboration leading to the arrest pledged to carry the other agencies involved along in the investigation of the matter.
Earlier in February, it was reported how the EFCC said in a statement that it had taken into custody two suspects linked with the SAR3.1million (Saudi Arabian Riyal) seized at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday.
At the official exchange rate, the seized money translates to about N315milliion cash.
READ FULL STATEMENT:
EFCC Press Release: Customs Hands Over Suspect Arrested with $184,800, SAR1.7m To EFCC
Area Comptroller in charge of Kano/Jigawa Command of the Nigeria Customs, Suleiman Pai Umar on Thursday July 1, 2021 handed over one Sabo Suleiman to the Kano Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The suspect was arrested in a joint operation on June 17, 2021 by the EFCC, Department of state Services, DSS and the Nigeria Customs Service at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport. He was nabbed when he came to claim an unaccompanied luggage which arrived aboard an Ethiopian Air flight ET911 from Saudi Arabia through Addis Ababa.
Upon arrest, it was discovered that a sum of $184,800 (One Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand Dollars), SAR1, 723,310 (One Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand, Three Hundred and Ten Saudi Riyals) was concealed in a diaper pack.
The monies were discovered at the screening point when the suspect, Suleiman came to claim the luggage.
The suspect was subsequently transported to the office of the Nigeria Customs Service, for proper processing.
During the handing over , the Zonal Head of the Commission who was represented by his deputy, Michael Nzekwe, commended the collaboration between the Commission and NCS. “According to the Zonal Head, “it is only through synergy and cooperation with other agencies that successes like this can be achieved.
“Inter-agency collaboration is very key, we should be able to come together towards achieving our common goal. There is no reason for rivalry, this is how it should be.”
Nzekwe also assured the Nigeria Customs the Commission will carry them along with progress of the investigation.
Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
2 July, 2021
