Following the interception of the huge sum of N49 million by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC at Kaduna Airport, a sketchy detail of the source of the fund has emerged, News Punch learned.
The antigraft agency yesterday discovered the sum of N49 million in mint N200 and N50 notes at the Kaduna International Airport, even as the owner of the money seem to have disappeared.
The money, consisting of N40 million in N200 notes and N9 million in N50 notes, all mint, were wrapped in NSPM polythene wrappers and packed into five sacks, with two sacks containing only N200 notes, two sacks containing a mixture of N200 and N50 notes, while the last sack contained only N50 notes.
Head of EFCC, Kaduna zonal office, Mr. Ibrahim Bappa, said that the money was found at the baggage check-in of the Kaduna Airport, ostensibly about to be taken out. He added that when the EFCC operatives, on a tip off, arrived the airport, the owner fled the airport. He said investigation is still ongoing to find the owner of the money and discover if it is proceed of crime.
Bappa said that the money has been handed over to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for onward transfer to EFCC recovery account.
“The EFCC Kaduna Zonal Office, on March 13, 2017, intercepted an undeclared sum of N49 million in five large black 150kg coloured sacks following an intelligence report received by the zone.
“The report, which was made at about 8p.m. stated that during the routine baggage screening of supposed checked in baggage, five sacks were sighted unattended to and without tags containing fresh bulk items suspected to be money, from the aroma perceived from the sack.
“The owner of the money later showed up, but couldn’t state the exact money in the sack or present any document authenticating the genesis of the monies.
“However, his inability to give any concrete explanation made him become uncomfortable and he disappeared into thin air before the arrival of the EFCC operatives according to our source of information. “They found out that the suspect had fled the airport vicinity, leaving the sack behind.
And upon careful scrutiny of the contents of the sacks, it was discovered that the sacks contained fresh crispy naira notes of N200 denomination in 200 bundles totalling N40 million and N50 denomination in 180 bundles totalling N9 million all sealed purportedly emanating from the Nigerian Security and Minting Plc., (NSPM) as seen in the labelled sealed packs.”
EFCC stated that no arrest has been made. “There is no arrest yet, but investigation is ongoing with a view to identify the owner and apprehend all those behind the crime,” Bappa said.
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