Security operatives attempting to board a flight with over $6.1 million in cash were intercepted and arrested on Saturday at the domestic wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 in Lagos.

The suspects, whose exact number was not disclosed, were reportedly caught during routine checks while trying to board an Aero Contractors flight.

Sources who pleaded anonymity to prevent official sanctions at the airport because they were not empowered to speak on the matter, confirm that the passengers were found with multiple boxes loaded with undeclared U.S dollars.

PUNCH Online gathered that the personnel had initially passed through airport security units before they were apprehended at the foot of the aircraft after Aero Contractors security noticed the heavy luggage.

The matter was then escalated and was reported to Aviation Security, who later handed it over to the Department of State Services.

A senior FAAN official’who spoke under the condition of anonymity said the DSS later transferred the suspects to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, where they are currently being held for further investigation.

Another airport source told The PUNCH that the suspects had claimed to be security agents escorting a suspect and exhibits, but failed to declare the cash or follow due procedures for transporting suspects on commercial flights.

Meanwhile, the source said this claim may have helped the suspects bypass the initial security screening. However, their activities raised suspicion at the boarding gate when AVSEC officers noticed the oversized boxes.

Speaking with our correspondent over the phone, the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Ado Sanusi, confirmed the incident, saying his airline’s security team grew suspicious after the individuals refused to check in their heavy bags.

Sanusi explained that the bags contained money, and when asked if it had been declared, the suspects said no.

He explained, “What happened was that our security noticed some passengers trying to board our aircraft with bags that were quite heavy. Our security team advised them to check the bags in, as they could not be carried into the cabin.

They refused to check the bags, and later they said it was money. When asked if the money had been declared, they said no. At that point, our security personnel discovered that the individuals were either police officers or some form of security agents, who claimed they were escorting a suspect along with exhibits. That was why they resisted checking in the bags.

“We then informed them that if they were transporting a suspect, they were required to notify us in advance. There are standard procedures for moving suspects; we don’t mix them with regular passengers. There are boarding, deboarding, and in-flight protocols that must be followed in such cases. Since they failed to follow these procedures, they were not allowed to board, and they eventually left.”

Repeated calls and messages to the spokesperson of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Henry Agbebire, and the Director of Aviation Security, Igbafe Afegbai, were unsuccessful, as they neither replied to the messages nor picked up their calls.

The same for the Head of Corporate Communications, Ajoke Yinka-Olawuyi, of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, operators of the MM2. (Saturday PUNCH)