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

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested an Aviation Security officer and two other suspects over an alleged attempt to smuggle unprocessed gold bars valued at more than N4.4 billion out of Nigeria through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

The EFCC disclosed this in a statement on Thursday by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale. The suspects were intercepted on June 11, 2026, during a routine surveillance operation by the Land and Property Fraud Section of the EFCC’s Kano Zonal Directorate.

The operation followed a directive from the EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, ordering all zonal offices to step up enforcement against the smuggling of mineral resources and bulk cash through international airports.

The suspects were identified as Ali Baffa, an Inspector I with Aviation Security, along with Aushabu Nasidi and Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria. According to the anti-graft agency, preliminary investigations revealed that Baffa allegedly concealed 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars estimated at over N4.4 billion in his trousers.

“Ali Baffa allegedly concealed 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars estimated at over N4,400,000,000 in his trousers, with the intent to bypass security checks and hand over the precious minerals to overseas-bound passengers for illegal export out of Nigeria,” the EFCC statement read.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Aushabu Nasidi, who was allegedly responsible for supplying the gold bars to the AVSEC officer. Upon his arrest, operatives recovered several foreign currencies from Nasidi, 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.

The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria, who allegedly handed the gold bars to Nasidi for onward transfer. During interrogation, Dan Zaria reportedly made a shocking confession to investigators.

“Dan Zaria revealed to the commission that he had smuggled an estimated 40.2 kilograms of gold from June 1 to June 11, 2026, using the same modus operandi,” the EFCC statement said.

The EFCC confirmed that all three suspects remain in its custody as investigations continue. The commission added that they will be charged to court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.

This arrest is part of the EFCC’s intensified efforts to curb the illegal movement of mineral resources and undeclared cash through Nigeria’s international airports. Security and anti-corruption agencies have in recent years recorded several arrests linked to the unlawful export of gold and other solid minerals, amid growing concerns over revenue losses and the activities of sophisticated smuggling syndicates operating across the country’s air and land borders.