EFCC Arrests Aviation Security Officer, Two Others Over Alleged N4.4bn Gold Smuggling at Kano Airport

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested an Aviation Security (AVSEC) officer and two other suspects over an alleged attempt to smuggle gold worth more than N4.4 billion and large sums of foreign currencies through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.

The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Thursday.

According to the EFCC, the suspects, Ali Baffa, an Inspector I with Aviation Security, Aushabu Nasidi and Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria — were arrested by operatives of its Kano Zonal Directorate during a routine surveillance operation at the airport.

The commission said the operation was carried out by the Land and Property Fraud Section of the directorate following a directive by EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for zonal offices to intensify efforts against the smuggling of mineral resources and bulk cash through international airports.

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Preliminary investigations, the EFCC said, revealed that Baffa allegedly concealed 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars in his trousers in an attempt to evade security screening and facilitate their illegal export through outbound international passengers.

The agency estimated the value of the seized gold at over N4.4 billion.

The EFCC further disclosed that investigations led to the arrest of Nasidi, who was allegedly responsible for supplying the gold bars to the AVSEC officer.

Upon his arrest, operatives reportedly recovered several foreign currencies from him, including 3,000 Saudi Riyals, 40,000 Turkish Lira, 199.75 Kuwaiti Dinar, 20,700 Philippine Peso, 80 Australian Dollars, 310 Chinese Renminbi, 4,000 Algerian Dinar, 40 Hong Kong Dollars, 26,000 Hungarian Forint and 1,000 Sudanese Dinar.

Further investigations also resulted in the arrest of Dan Zaria, who allegedly handed the gold bars to Nasidi.

According to the commission, Dan Zaria admitted during interrogation that he had allegedly smuggled about 40.2 kilograms of gold between June 1 and June 11, 2026, using the same method.

The EFCC said all three suspects are currently in its custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.