EFCC Detained Dubai-Bound Passenger After Custom Nabbed Him With Over 5,000 ATM Cards

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday detained a Dubai-board passenger, Sanusi Abdullahi Labaran after he apprehended by personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service, Kano/Jigawa Area Command with 5,342 Automated Teller Machine, ATM cards concealed inside a sack of beans.

The suspect was trying to board a flight, Ethiopian flight to Dubai through the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA when he was intercepted.

Custom Area Controller, Kano – Jigawa Command, Nasiru Ahmed who handed over the suspect, to the Zonal Head of the EFCC Kano Office, Sanusi Aliyu Mohammed, disclosed that the suspect was apprehended at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport as he attempted to board an Ethiopian Airline to Dubai, United Arab Emirate.

He further disclosed that a search conducted on suspect yielded 5342 ATM cards bearing different names which he concealed in a bag of beans. Also found on him are seven (7) pieces of memory cards and one (1) piece of SD card

Ahmed further said investigations will reveal whether the ATM cards were in use or expired and how much was domiciled in the ATM cards.

The Comptroller commended his men and officers at MAKIA for the job well done while describing the act by the suspect as a disservice to the nation as it has a negative impact on the economy and foreign reserve of the country.

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According to him, “The Custom were empowered with Section 150 to search and section 157 empowers for detention and seizures of the ATM.

“The law will take it course. We will hand him over to the EFCC. We are 100 per cent sure that the EFCC will do a thorough job because this a disservice to the nation,” Ahmed said.

Responding the Kano Zonal Head, Mr Sanusi Aliyu vowed that the suspect and other of his accomplice will be charged to court upon completion of its investigation and one’s prima facea case is established.

“EFCC will conduct a diligent and thorough investigation into the reasons why one person is carrying over 5,000 ATM to another country.

“EFCC will not only stop at investigating the person in whose possession the items were recovered but will go a long way in tracing the owners of the cards and reasons behind efforts to ship the cards to Dubai.

“After the completion of the investigation and one’s prima facea case is established, the suspect and his accomplice will be duly charged to the court of law.

“The mere fact that he alone was holding over 5,000 ATM cards raises a very strong suspicion and red flag. We believe he is not alone. He has other people that have been working with him either independently or as a group.

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“The fact that he has a resident permit in Dubai tells us he probably has been in this business for a time. We will join hands with all relevant agencies to find out how many times he has left this country and then for what purpose and should we have any offence linked with his earlier travels, we will also coopt that into the charges that he will face before the law in the court”.

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