Passengers arrested with $6.1m cash at Lagos airport

Security officials at Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA1), Lagos, have arrested several passengers found with an astonishing $6.1 million in cash.

According to a Premium Times report, the group—described as young men—was intercepted at the domestic terminal while preparing to board an Aero Contractors flight.

Sources familiar with the incident said the passengers were suspected to be couriers working for a politically exposed person (PEP). Their identities and intended destination, however, remain undisclosed.

The suspects were reportedly detained by Aviation Security (AVSEC) operatives, who became suspicious during routine checks after discovering the unusually large amount of foreign currency.

Officials, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that the individuals have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further questioning and investigation.

“We are still working with the EFCC to unravel the full details,” a senior AVSEC official said on Saturday.

This incident mirrors a similar case from 2020, when Nigeria Customs Service operatives at the same airport seized $8,065,612 that was about to be illegally flown out of the country.

The cash, discovered in 20 wraps inside a coaster bus at the airport’s tarmac on January 16, 2020, was intercepted through intelligence gathered by the command.

At the time, former Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), disclosed that the operation was the result of strategic intelligence aimed at curbing money laundering through airports.