Customs arrest Niger nationals with N15 million hidden under car seats

 



Three Nigeriens were arrested, saturday, by the Nigerian Customs, while trying to smuggle N15 million cash, hidden under their car seats and foot mats into the country.

They were caught while trying to take a bush path into Nigeria to evade the scanning machines of the Customs Service at Jibia international border.

The Comptroller of Customs in-charge of Katsina/Kaduna Area Command, Yusuf Umar who confirmed the incident stressed that nothing else was found in the Honda Academy car with Nigerian registration number, ABUJA 602 AE.

Umar said that the three arrested Niger republic nationals, Abdulrasheed Usman, 22, his brother Salisu, 21, and Bishir Abdullahi, 30 were suspected to be financial agents of a Bureau De Change operator.

They were charged with contravening the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) of 2004 and the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act by failing to declare amount to officers of the Customs.

“The claim of these suspects in this case that they are financial agents to Yaura BDP of Wapa, Kano, makes them liable. Who is Yaura BDP, Wapa?”

Umar further disclosed that “investigation  is ongoing to ascertain the depth of involvement and occupational identity of the suspects.”

He assured that the “Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant sister agencies will get to the root of the matter to ascertain the reason why such huge amount of money was being moved across the boarder”