By SODIQ OMOLAOYE

The Kano Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a suspect at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport while attempting to smuggle 576 Automated Teller Machine cards out of the country.

The commission said this was coming a few hours after it secured the conviction of three smugglers who were arrested with 1,144 ATM Cards at the same airport.

The suspect, Khalil Bashir Lawal, was intercepted on Monday by operatives of the Commission in collaboration with Nigeria Aviation Security and Nigeria Customs Service under the aegis of Special Task Force on Money Laundering.

Upon his arrest, it was discovered that Khalil who was traveling to Uganda with Ethiopian Airlines had concealed 576 ATM cards bearing different names and banks in his luggage.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren in a statement on Tuesday said the suspect will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.

The Commission had arrested three suspects at the Kano Airport between November 24 and December 1, 2021 while they were trying to smuggle a total of 1,144 ATM cards.

A Kano State High Court presided over by Justice Jamilu Shehu on December 20, 2021, convicted and sentenced them to six months imprisonment each. (The Guardian)

Update news