From Sola Ojo, Abuja
Justice S.M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano has sentenced Salisu Ahmad to prison for failing to declare large sums of foreign currency at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
Ahmad was arrested on July 7, 2025, during a routine customs check while arriving from Saudi Arabia aboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940.
Authorities discovered $420,900, £5,825, CFA3.9 million, and Cameroonian CFA224,000 concealed in his luggage.
The total value of the undeclared funds is estimated at ₦653 million.
He pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of non-declaration of funds, in violation of Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The court ordered the forfeiture of all the funds to the federal government.
Ahmad told investigators he was delivering the money on behalf of his brother in Saudi Arabia to two men in Nigeria, Yusuf Adamu and Abdulhamid Rabiu, who were also arrested.
The charge against the convict reads: “that you Salisu Ahmad on or about the 7th day of July, 2025 at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court while transporting the sums $420,900 (Four Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Nine Hundred US Dollars), £5,825 (Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Twenty Five Pounds Sterling), CFA 3,946,500 (Three Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Six Thousand, Five Hundred CFA Francs), Cameroonian CFA 224,000 (Two Hundred and Twenty Four Thousand Cameroonian CFA Francs) collectively valued at the sum ₦653,000,000 (Six Hundred and Fifty Three Million Naira Only) into Nigeria from Saudi Arabia aboard Ethiopian Air (ET940) failed to make declaration of same to the Nigerian Customs and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 respectively.”
The court sentenced him to forfeit the entire sum of undeclared money to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
