The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a staff member of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and two other suspects for alleged money laundering. The suspects were apprehended during a surveillance operation at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
Suspects Identified
The suspects have been identified as Ali Baffa, an Inspector in the Aviation Security section; Aushabu Nasidi; and Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria. According to a source within the EFCC, the arrests were made on June 11, 2026, following a directive from the commission's chairman to all zonal directorates to intensify efforts against the smuggling of mineral resources and bulk cash through Nigeria's international airports.
Details of the Alleged Crime
Preliminary investigations revealed that Baffa allegedly concealed 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars valued at over N4.4 billion inside his trousers to evade security screening and facilitate the illegal export of the precious minerals through international passengers. Further investigations led to the arrest of Nasidi, who was allegedly responsible for supplying the gold bars to the AVSEC officer.
During the operation, EFCC operatives recovered several foreign currencies from Nasidi, including 3,000 Saudi Riyals, 40,000 Turkish Lira, 199.75 Kuwaiti Dinars, 20,700 Philippine Pesos, 80 Australian Dollars, 310 Chinese Renminbi, 4,000 Algerian Dinars, 40 Hong Kong Dollars, 26,000 Hungarian Forints, and 1,000 Sudanese Dinars.
The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of Dan Zaria, who allegedly handed over the gold bars to Nasidi for onward transfer. While being questioned, Dan Zaria reportedly admitted to smuggling about 40.2 kilograms of gold between June 1 and June 11, 2026, using the same method.
Current Status
The EFCC has disclosed that all three suspects remain in custody as investigations continue, and they will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the process.
