The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is quizzing Duru Damian arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over alleged failure to declare $49,000 at Lagos Airport.

In a statement yesterday, the EFCC said Damian was intercepted by during a routine check at the AML/ CFT Currency Declaration Desk on Monday at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos. The agency said: “Upon his arrest, the suspect, who was scheduled to travel on Emirates Airline to Dubai, claimed he had only $10,000 on him.

“However, when a search was conducted on him, $49,000 was discovered undeclared, totaling $59,000.’’ The Area Comptroller in charge of the NCS at the airport, Effiong Harrison, while handing the money to the EFCC, decried failure of travelers to comply with the currency declaration law.

Harrison said: “Today, we are having a process that we have been doing over a period of time now. “When we intercept currencies, we do the needful of handing over to the appropriate agencies of government.’’ According to him, sustained sensitization and announcements are being made at relevant airports on the need for travellers to declare their currencies or equivalents.