The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC (nahco aviance) has distanced itself from the $8.6m intercepted by Customs at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
“We wish to state unequivocally that NAHCO as an organization has no connection whatsoever with this alleged act,” the ground handling firm said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
EDITOR’S PICK: CUSTOMS BUSTS MONEY LAUNDERING GANG, INTERCEPTS $8.6M AT LAGOS AIRPORT
NAHCO said it has initiated contact with the Nigeria Customs Service’ hierarchy to provide it with details of this incident.
The statement read: “As a responsible corporate organisation, NAHCO will cooperate with all regulators, agencies and other stakeholders in not only finding out the truth about this unfortunate incident, but also rooting out malpractices in the sector.
“The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company does not condone irresponsible and criminal behaviour. The company takes seriously the trust of its esteemed clients, partners and other stakeholders, both local and international, and will do everything to protect that trust.”
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Command at the airport had intercepted the sum of $8.6million (about N3.1billion) from a gang of money laundering syndicate who allegedly assists corrupt government officials to smuggle cash out of the counrty.
Two airport staff, who were simply identified as drivers of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), had been arrested in connection with the intercepted sum.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali, (rtd), displayed the intercepted foreign currencies at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, also confirmed that the two persons have been arrested and undergoing investigations.
But NAHCO said, “The attention of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company plc (nahco aviance) has been brought to a press conference earlier today by the Comptroller–General of the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS) Col. Hammed Alli (rtd), to the effect that a vehicle belonging to NAHCO was intercepted with some cash in foreign currencies as it conveyed the money to an aircraft at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.”
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