The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation into Duru Ikechukwu Damian, a traveller arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for allegedly failing to declare $59,000 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The probe began after Damian was intercepted on Monday, August 11, 2025, during a routine check at the Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Currency Declaration Desk while preparing to board an Emirates Airline flight to Dubai. Initially, Damian declared only $10,000, but a subsequent search revealed an additional $49,000, bringing the total to $59,000. The NCS handed him over to the EFCC on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, with NCS Area Comptroller E. I. Harrison noting ongoing sensitization efforts despite recurring non-compliance. Acting Zonal Director of EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, ACE I Ahmed Ghali, affirmed the agency’s resolve to enforce anti-money laundering laws, stating that investigations are ongoing and the suspect may face prosecution. The incident has stirred mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a necessary enforcement of currency rules, while others question the motives behind such detentions, though these sentiments remain inconclusive.
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