The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has intercepted 15 suitcases allegedly containing gold bars valued at approximately ₦4 billion at the Aminu Kano International Airport.
It was gathered that the consignment was discovered by operatives of the EFCC and seized when they were being loaded into an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Saudi Arabia.
Operatives of the antigraft agency at the Airport made an arrest of three persons during the operation, including one Aliyu Baffa, believed to be a serving Airport security officer, and two accomplices.
Sources close to the EFCC and airport security officials who volunteered information on condition of anonymity, said that the arrested suspects have confessed that the gold was being smuggled out of the country on the instruction of Senator Abdul Aziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara State.
The source further said that the arrested suspects are part of a cartel involved in illegal mining operations across Zamfara, Kaduna, and Kebbi States, which they alleged is controlled by Senator Yari.
Similarly, a senior airport security official said that the airport security personnel had noted suspicious items concealed in 15 suitcases during cargo loading and immediately alerted the EFCC, which led to the interception of the gold bars.
It was further gathered that following the arrests, a political associate of the serving Senator, who was identified as a prominent member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) reportedly contacted EFCC officials seeking the immediate release of the seized gold bars.
However, the request was rejected just as the official was denied access to personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Immigration Service, and airport authorities.
The politician was accordingly advised to inform Senator Yari to report to the EFCC for questioning, after the detained suspects named the former governor as the alleged principal actor.
Relatedly, a member of the House of Representatives, believed to be a confidant of Senator Yari, was sighted at the EFCC Kano Zonal Office in company of two other individuals.
Senator Yari had previously faced allegations of involvement in illegal mining and the diversion of stamp duty revenues, with claims that proceeds were channelled into funding the ADC.
Senator Yari is yet to speak on the development while the EFCC said that the seized gold bars are in their custody pending the conclusion of investigations.
