EFCC Apprehends 24 Year-Old Hard Currency Courier Trying to Smuggle N1.1billion Cash out of Nigeria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) has arrested a 24 year-old Nigerian,
Abubakar Tijani Sheriff for attempting to travel
with the sum of $7 million (N1, 120,000billion).
He was arrested at theEFCC Apprehends 24 Year-Old Hard
Currency Courier Trying to Smuggle
N1.1billion Cash out of Nigeria
 Murtala Muhammed
International airport, Lagos as he was trying to
travel to Dubai aboard a United Arab Emirates
flight on Thursday.
After his arrest, he said that he had a total sum
of $4.5million. But when he was thouroughly
searched, he was found to have $7,049,444 on
him.
He later confessed that he was a courier for 20
individuals who hired him to take the money for
them to Dubai. Authorities said that the money
was proceeds from illegal deals and he is a
suspected money laundering courier. He has
already mentioned 20 prominent Nigerians who
are the owners of the money.
The EFCC in a statement released by its
spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren to Sahara
Reporters yesterday said that “Investigations by
the EFCC showed that Sheriff is a regular
traveller and one of several couriers of illegal
cash suspected to be proceeds of crime.”
“Travellers leaving the country are statutorily
required to declare cash in excess of $10,000.
However, under the provisions of the Money
Laundering Act, it is not sufficient to declare
excess cash; the onus is on the person making
the declaration to explain the source of the
excess cash and the reason for the export.”
He is now being detained at the EFCC’s holding
facility in Lagos pending his arraignment in
court.
Story via - BellaNaija
Photo Credit: Sahara Reporters