Security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA1) in Lagos have reportedly arrested a group of passengers caught travelling with a whooping $6.1million (approximately ₦8.9 billion) in cash.
According to reports , the suspects, described as a group of young men, were intercepted at the domestic terminal of the airport while preparing to board an Aero Contractors flight.
Multiple security sources familiar with the incident noted that the suspects were believed to be couriers for a politically-exposed person (PEP), although their exact identities and destination were not immediately disclosed.
The passengers were apprehended by operatives of the Aviation Security (AVSEC) unit, who reportedly became suspicious after routine screening checks revealed the unusual amount of foreign currency being moved.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that the suspects had been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for interrogation and further investigation.
This comes after a male passenger on an Ibom Air flight bound for Abuja from Lagos was accused of stealing the sum of ₦290,000 from the carry-on baggage of a foreigner. A viral seven-second video shows the suspect being escorted off the aircraft by a hostess as other passengers stared at and passed remarks at him. “That’s the thief,” one voice was heard saying in the clip, while another threatened to slap him.
However, neither Ibom Air nor the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) issued any statements concerning the incident.
