The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested an Aviation Security (AVSEC) officer, Ali Baffa, alongside two accomplices, over alleged involvement in the smuggling of gold and foreign currencies through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
Baffa, an Inspector I with AVSEC, was arrested alongside Aushabu Nasidi and Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria during a routine surveillance operation carried out on Friday, June 11, 2026, by operatives of the EFCC’s Land and Property Fraud Section.
The operation, according to the Commission, followed a directive by the EFCC Executive Chairman ordering all directorates to intensify crackdowns on the smuggling of mineral resources and bulk cash through international airports.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Baffa allegedly concealed 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars valued at over N4.4 billion inside his trousers in an attempt to evade airport security checks and facilitate the illegal export of the precious minerals through outbound international passengers.
Further investigations led operatives to Nasidi, who allegedly supplied the gold bars to the AVSEC officer. Upon his arrest, EFCC operatives recovered multiple foreign currencies from him, including 3,000 Saudi Riyals, 40,000 Turkish Lira, 199.75 Kuwaiti Dinar, 20,700 Philippine Peso, 80 Australian Dollars, 310 Chinese Renminbi, 4,000 Algerian Dinar, 40 Hong Kong Dollars, 26,000 Hungarian Forint, and 1,000 Sudanese Dinar.
Investigators subsequently arrested Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria, who allegedly handed the gold bars to Nasidi. During interrogation, Dan Zaria reportedly confessed to smuggling an estimated 40.2 kilograms of gold between June 1 and June 11, 2026, using the same method.
The EFCC said all three suspects are currently in its custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
