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Justice S.M. Shuaibu delivered the judgment after Ahmad pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of non-declaration of funds brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The undeclared funds included $420,900, £5,825, CFA3,946,500, and Cameroonian CFA224,000, all carefully concealed in Ahmad’s luggage when he arrived at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on July 7, 2025, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Saudi Arabia.
According to a statement on Thursday by EFCC’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, the money, which was hidden in polythene bags wrapped in cloth, was intercepted during a routine Customs check.
Upon interrogation, Ahmad claimed he was acting on behalf of his brother, Auwal Ahmad, based in Saudi Arabia, and was instructed to deliver the money to two individuals, Yusuf Adamu and Abdulhamid Rabiu, both of whom were also arrested.
The EFCC filed charges against Ahmad for violating Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which mandates full disclosure of monetary instruments in excess of permitted limits upon entry into the country.
“That you, Salisu Ahmad, on or about the 7th of July, 2025, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport failed to declare the sums collectively valued at the sum N653,000,000 into Nigeria from Saudi Arabia aboard Ethiopian Air (ET940) failed to make declaration of same to the Nigerian Customs and you thereby committed an offense contrary to Sections 3(3) and 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 respectively,” the charge read in part.
Oyewale said Justice Shuaibu, in his ruling, sentenced Ahmad to forfeit the total amount to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Following diligent investigation and prosecution by the EFCC, Justice Shuaibu found the defendant guilty and convicted him based on his guilty plea.
“The court sentenced him to forfeit the entire sum of undeclared money to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the statement stated.