According to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), a passenger identified as Duru Ikechukwu Damian is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly attempting to travel out of Nigeria with $59,000 in undeclared cash at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The NCS said Damian was intercepted on Monday, August 11, 2025, while preparing to board an Emirates flight to Dubai. At the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) currency declaration desk, he declared only $10,000—the permissible amount for travellers to carry without special declaration. However, during further checks, customs officers reportedly discovered an additional $49,000 hidden in his luggage, bringing the total to $59,000.
The NCS Area Comptroller, E. I. Harrison, stated that passengers are constantly reminded—through announcements and display screens at the airport—of their obligation to declare any cash exceeding the legal threshold before departure.
Following his arrest, Damian was handed over to the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 for further questioning. Acting Zonal Director, ACE I Ahmed Ghali, reaffirmed the commission’s resolve to enforce anti-money laundering laws, warning that offenders will face the full weight of the law.
This was made known via the Commission’s official X handle on Wednesday, where the EFCC confirmed that investigations into the Lagos Airport passenger probe are ongoing. Authorities are seeking to determine whether the seized funds are linked to money laundering or other illicit financial activities.
Nigerian authorities have repeatedly cautioned travellers that undeclared cash above the approved limit could be confiscated and lead to prosecution.