A 51-year-old father of ten from Katsina state, Akilu Salisu, was arrested by the Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly distributing counterfeit US dollars and British pounds. He was detained alongside Umar Mikailu Shuaibu, a self-proclaimed cleric from Kano, and Salisu Nura from Jigawa state. Nura and Shuaibu were first caught by the Kwara state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during a January 27, 2026 stop-and-search operation. Investigators said Nura carried 435 fake $100 bills and 378 fake £50 notes meant for Shuaibu, who was to pass them to Salisu for wider circulation. EFCC said Shuaibu's digital wallet showed transactions exceeding N5 million with no clear justification. All three suspects face court arraignment after further probes conclude.
The EFCC's mention of N5 million in unexplained transfers to a self-proclaimed cleric exposes how counterfeit rings exploit religious platforms to launder fake cash. Shuaibu's profile suggests traffickers deliberately recruit figures with public trust to shield their operations, making convictions harder to secure. Unless courts treat such cases as commercial fraud rather than victimless crime, the cycle will continue unchecked.
