Reaffirms Zero Tolerance for False Currency Declaration
By Abass Quadri
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Muritala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) Command, has handed over intercepted foreign currencies to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), reinforcing its uncompromising stance on currency smuggling and false declarations.
At a press briefing held on Tuesday, 22 July 2025, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Effiong Harrison, disclosed that vigilant operatives under his watch made two separate interceptions at the NIPOST Terminal.
He said the first interception involved a parcel containing large volumes of foreign currency from Zimbabwe and Vietnam. “During the examination, we discovered someone was trying to bring excess notes to Nigeria. It is part of our duty to prevent such infractions”, Harrison stated.
He revealed that the parcel contained 1.1 trillion Zimbabwean dollars and 1.6 million Vietnamese dong, adding that such large denominations raised suspicions of potential abuse.
In the second case, Comptroller Harrison said a passenger attempted to smuggle undeclared cash above the regulatory threshold.
“We’ve always advised passengers to declare their funds. We do not tolerate wrong, false or under-declaration, especially above the $10,000 threshold. Note that individuals who don’t abide by the directives will be handed over to the appropriate authority”, he stated.
The seized cash, $14,567, £1,030, and CA$4, along with the suspect’s passport and travel documents, were handed over to the EFCC for further investigation.
Receiving the items, Assistant Superintendent I of the EFCC Lagos Zonal Office, Muhammad Adamu, commended Customs for their proactive role in protecting Nigeria’s financial system.
“The collaborative spirit we shared has been instrumental in achieving our shared objective.”
He assured us that further investigation would begin to determine the currency’s legitimacy in compliance with our existing law.
