The Supreme Court has affirmed the forfeiture of $40,000 to the Federal Government, delivering a decisive victory for anti-corruption efforts and reinforcing Nigeria’s stance against false declaration of foreign currency by air travellers.
In a judgment delivered on Friday, January 16, 2026, the apex court upheld the earlier decisions of the Federal High Court in Kano and the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division, which convicted Aminu Sule Lamido for falsely declaring foreign currency at the Aminu Kano International Airport while en route to Cairo, Egypt.
Lamido, son of a former Jigawa State governor, was arrested on December 11, 2012, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after he was found in possession of $50,000 but declared only $10,000 to officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, contrary to extant foreign exchange and money laundering laws.
He was arraigned before Justice Fatun O. Riman of the Federal High Court, Kano, on February 4, 2013, on a one-count charge bordering on money laundering and false declaration of foreign exchange. Although he pleaded not guilty, the court found him guilty and on July 12, 2013, ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared $40,000 to the Federal Government.
His appeal at the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division, was dismissed in January 2016, with the appellate court affirming both his conviction and the forfeiture order.
Undeterred, Lamido proceeded to the Supreme Court in suit number SC201/2016. However, in its final judgment, the apex court resolved all issues in favour of the EFCC, upholding the decisions of the two lower courts and bringing the prolonged legal battle to a definitive close.
The landmark ruling is being hailed as a significant boost to the nation’s anti-money laundering framework, setting a strong judicial precedent in support of enforcement actions against false declarations of funds at Nigerian airports.
With the judgment, the Supreme Court has sent a clear message that financial regulations governing cross-border cash movements must be strictly complied with, regardless of status, reaffirming the rule of law and the resolve of Nigeria’s anti-graft institutions to safeguard the country’s financial system.
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