How an AVSEC officer tried to smuggle N4.4bn gold in his trousers

An aviation security officer, Ali Baffa, was arrested on Thursday at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 22.2 kilogrammes of unprocessed gold bars worth over N4.4 billion out of the country. According to the EFCC, he concealed the gold in his trousers to bypass security checks and hand them over to overseas-bound passengers.

The EFCC statement by Dele Oyewale said two other suspects, Aushabu Nasidi and Mukhtar Muhammad Dan Zaria, were also picked up. Dan Zaria allegedly confessed to smuggling about 40.2 kilogrammes of gold between 1 and 11 June using the same method. Nasidi was found with multiple foreign currencies including Saudi riyals, Turkish lira, and Kuwaiti dinar.

These are people who are supposed to protect our airports, not facilitate the theft of our mineral resources. The EFCC says they will be charged after investigations. How many billions have already left this country through such insiders before they were caught?