$40,000 Case: Supreme Court Upholds Lamido’s Son’s Conviction
The Nigerian apex court has brought a definitive end to a decade long legal battle by affirming Lamido’s Son’s Conviction regarding the non declaration of foreign currency. In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, January 16, 2026, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal filed by Aminu Lamido, the son of the former Jigawa State Governor, ruling that the prosecution successfully proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. This landmark decision reinforces the stringent requirements of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act concerning the cross border movement of large sums of cash.
The case dates back to 2012 when Aminu Lamido was intercepted by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. During a routine security check prior to his departure for Cairo, Egypt, the defendant was found to be in possession of $50,000. However, in his customs declaration form, he only declared $10,000, failing to disclose the remaining $40,000. Under the existing Nigerian law, any individual transporting more than $10,000 in cash across national borders must provide a full and honest declaration to the Nigerian Customs Service.
The legal journey to this final verdict has been exhaustive. Aminu was initially convicted by a Federal High Court in Kano in 2013, where the presiding judge ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared $40,000 to the Federal Government. Seeking to overturn this ruling, the defendant approached the Court of Appeal, arguing that the omission was not intentional and did not constitute a criminal offense under the specific provisions of the act. However, the appellate court upheld the lower court’s decision, prompting a final appeal to the Supreme Court.
In the lead judgment, the apex court justices clarified that the offense of non declaration of foreign currency is one of strict liability. They emphasized that the intent to smuggle is secondary to the physical act of failing to disclose the exact amount of cash in one’s possession. The court held that the evidence provided by the EFCC, including the physical cash and the signed declaration forms, was incontrovertible. By dismissing the appeal, the court has signaled a zero tolerance policy for financial irregularities, regardless of the political or social standing of the individual involved.
This final ruling serves as a stern warning to travelers and public figures alike about the importance of transparency in financial dealings. The Sule Lamido son conviction is seen as a victory for the anti corruption agencies, proving that the wheels of justice, though sometimes slow, eventually reach a conclusive end. With the forfeiture of the $40,000 now finalized, the case stands as a significant judicial precedent for the enforcement of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act in Nigeria’s aviation and financial sectors.