Members of a gang have been apprehended by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) led by MMIA Comptroller, Wale Adeniyi, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport while trying to carry out money laundering of about $8.6 million, an equivalent of N3.1 billion. When arrested, the gang confessed that they were assisting some corrupt government officials to move the cash out of the country. Along with the gang arrested, two staff of the airport were also arrested in connection with the money laundering – they were identified as drivers of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO).
According to findings, it was discovered that the gang members had kept the cash in a vehicle owned by NAHCO and the two staff helped in smuggling it into the airport. The head of Comptroller of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) has shown the seized foreign currencies on Tuesday and stated that investigation is currently on-going, and already two people have been arrested in connection to the financial crime.