The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has taken into custody an Aviation Security officer, Inspector Ali Baffa, along with two suspected accomplices at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
Their arrest follows an alleged plot to smuggle unprocessed gold bars worth more than ₦4.4 billion out of the country.
Baffa was picked up on Thursday during a routine surveillance operation at the airport. According to investigators, the security officer concealed 22.2 kilogrammes of gold bars inside his trousers, intending to pass them to passengers travelling to international destinations.
Further inquiries led to the arrest of Aushabu Nasidi, who is suspected of supplying the gold. A range of foreign currencies was recovered from Nasidi, including Saudi Riyals, Turkish Lira, Kuwaiti Dinar, Philippine Peso, Australian Dollars, Chinese Renminbi, Algerian Dinar, Hong Kong Dollars, Hungarian Forint, and Sudanese Dinar.
A third suspect, Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria, was also arrested. He is alleged to have delivered the gold bars to Nasidi. During questioning, Dan Zaria admitted to having smuggled about 40.2 kilogrammes of gold between June 1 and June 11, 2026, using the same method.
All three suspects remain in custody and will be brought before a court once investigations are concluded.
Nigeria has been stepping up efforts to stop the illegal export of solid minerals, especially gold, amid concerns over lost revenue and the operations of smuggling networks.
In recent years, security and anti-corruption agencies have made several arrests linked to the unlawful movement of gold and other minerals through the country’s airports and land borders.
