Various arrests of money laundering suspects effected by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at airports in Nigeria speak volumes of the actual amount of money being laundered out of the country.
In September 2012, one Tijani Sheriff was allegedly caught with $7m at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Recently, the EFCC and Nigerian Customs Service operatives arrested the son of Jigawa State Governor, Aminu Lamido, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano for declaring only $10,000 instead of the $50,000 he allegedly had on him.
Within the last eleven months, the EFCC had reportedly intercepted about N15bn at some airports in the country and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, said recently that about $11bn (N1.73tn) was taken out of the country through the airports in 2012.
The above revelations should worry aviation authorities and other stakeholders as to the role of airports in the facilitation of this crime. Security agencies know that the number of exposed attempts to commit a particular crime is never equal to the actual rate of that crime. In other words, the number of reported cases of money laundering through airports in recent times indicates that the current rate of the crime requires not just a media hype, but a more pragmatic mitigating approach.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigerian needs a closer collaboration with the EFCC and the NCS to rid the nation's economic gateways of this menace. Money launderers who happen to be part of the worse enemies of the nation's image and development could be discouraged from using the airports as routes if the relevant agencies further their level of cooperation in areas of training and operation at the different airports.
Also, every thwarted case of money laundering through an airport should be pursued to a logical conclusion as part of measures to send strong warning signals to those who are contemplating using the airport for such criminal act.
It is worthy of note that apart from the use of airports to launder money, there are other possibilities that could be dangerous. It is possible that huge sums of money are regularly being laundered out of Nigeria through the nation's seaports and land borders. Government agencies should broaden the scope of anti-money laundering measures to ensure that the menace is tackled from all perspectives, applying the required vigour.
In a country where the poverty level is on a constant increase and economic growth is being impeded by corruption, it is important that government agencies responsible for implementing anti-money laundering laws prosecute offenders. This would serve as a deterrent.
Besides, there is an urgent need to correct the terrible global perception of Nigeria as a corrupt nation. If this segment of the government's anti-corruption crusade is to be taken seriously, the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 and the CBN Anti-Money laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism Regulation 2009 (as amended) should be strictly enforced.
Albinus Chiedu
Ikeja, Lagos.
