EFCC catches AVSEC officer with N4.4bn gold bars in his trousers at Kano Airport

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested Ali Baffa, an Aviation Security Inspector I at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, for attempting to smuggle gold bars worth over N4.4 billion out of the country. According to the commission, the operation happened on June 11, 2026, and Baffa allegedly concealed 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars inside his trousers to bypass airport screening before handing the consignment to passengers travelling abroad.

The EFCC also arrested Aushabu Nasidi, who is said to have supplied the gold bars to the AVSEC officer, and Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria, who allegedly delivered the gold to Nasidi. During interrogation, Dan Zaria reportedly admitted that he had smuggled approximately 40.2 kilograms of gold between June 1 and June 11, 2026, using the same method. The commission recovered multiple foreign currencies from Nasidi, including Saudi riyals, Turkish lira, Kuwaiti dinars, Philippine pesos, Australian dollars, Chinese renminbi, and several others.

This is the kind of economic sabotage that bleeds our nation dry. A security officer meant to protect our borders becomes the enabler of resource trafficking. The EFCC says they will be arraigned in court soon. How many more of these networks are operating inside our airports while we keep talking about diversifying the economy?