EFCC arrests 24-year-old smuggling N1.1billion cash out of Nigeria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says it on Thursday arrested a bulk currency smuggler, one Abubakar Tijani Sheriff for attempting to smuggle $7million (about N1.101billion) out of the country.

According to a statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, the 24-year-old was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos en route Dubai , United Arab Emirates.


Mr. Uwujaren said the suspect had escaped security scrutiny from other agencies at the airport but was apprehended at the point of boarding the plane by operatives of the Commission.

When he was arrested, he declared that he had a total sum of $4.5million on him but a thorough screening and search showed that he was actually carrying $7,049,444 (Seven million, Forty Nine Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty Four United States Dollars).

He confessed that he was a courier for twenty individuals who hired him to courier the money for them to Dubai .

Investigations by the EFCC showed that Mr. Sheriff is a regular traveller and one of several couriers of illegal cash suspected to be proceeds of crime. The Commission is still investigating his claims in respect of his accomplices.