The Nigeria Customs Service has made a significant seizure at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, intercepting $265,000 in undeclared foreign currency, unregistered pharmaceutical products, and over 3,000 cartons of herbicide containing a prohibited chemical. The Acting Area Controller of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Usman Umar Adamu, disclosed this during a press briefing in Kano on Monday. According to Adamu, the foreign currency was intercepted on Sunday, September 26, 2026, from a male Nigerian passenger who arrived from New Delhi aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET941.
The passenger's luggage was flagged during scanning, leading to a secondary physical examination that revealed the $265,000 concealed among his personal belongings. Adamu stated that the interception was significant given the command's sustained sensitisation campaigns on the lawful movement and declaration of cash and other negotiable instruments. The campaigns had involved Customs officials, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, traders, and other stakeholders to educate travellers and businesses on the requirement to declare currency above the prescribed threshold.
The Acting Controller also revealed that the command had, from January to date, intercepted undeclared foreign currency and other negotiable instruments worth more than N2.5 billion in equivalent value. He warned that moving foreign currency above the approved threshold without declaration contravenes Sections 3 and 4 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, as well as relevant provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. The passenger, currency, and relevant documents would be handed over to the EFCC Kano Zonal Directorate for further investigation.
In addition to the currency interception, the command also seized 2,143 sachets of medicaments of different brands, 1,423 packs of empty medicament packaging materials, and 10,056 cartons of empty pesticide packaging materials at MAKIA. The products were subjected to a 100 per cent joint physical examination in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), during which it was established that they were not registered. The seized pharmaceutical products and packaging materials would be handed over to NAFDAC's Ports Inspection Directorate in Kano for necessary action.
The command also displayed more than 3,000 cartons of herbicide identified as "Para Best", which Customs said contained the prohibited chemical "Paracot". Adamu said the seized products were potential threats to public health and intellectual property. He warned that the command would intensify surveillance to prevent the importation and circulation of unregistered medicines, prohibited chemicals, and other potentially hazardous products.
The Zonal Director of the EFCC, Mr Friday S. Ebelo, described the handover as another demonstration of the agencies' collective commitment to sanitising the financial ecosystem. According to him, the operation represented a meaningful example of inter-agency collaboration between the Customs Service and the EFCC in tackling illicit financial activities. The Assistant Director, NAFDAC Ports Inspection Directorate, Kano, Mr Azik Musa Kanadi, commended the Customs Service for its collaboration with the agency and urged stakeholders and members of the public to speak out against the importation, distribution, and use of substandard and falsified medical products.
The operation was consistent with the Customs Service's statutory responsibility under Sections 4(f), 149(c)(v), and 168 of the NCS Act 2023, as well as the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the NCS and NAFDAC. The interceptions demonstrate the commitment of regulatory officers to prioritise integrity, intelligence sharing, and collective vigilance in protecting legitimate trade and public health. The successful interceptions also helped strengthen regulatory confidence and protect Nigeria's standing within the global health community.
Key points
- The Nigeria Customs Service intercepted $265,000 in undeclared foreign currency, unregistered pharmaceutical products, and banned herbicide at Kano airport.
- The command had, from January to date, intercepted undeclared foreign currency and other negotiable instruments worth more than N2.5 billion in equivalent value.
- The seized products were potential threats to public health and intellectual property, and the command would intensify surveillance to prevent their importation and circulation.
