Bashir Umar picked up the package by taking part in a patrol with his colleagues, according to the Nigerian Air Force. He is part of the air defense team deployed at Kano airport in northern Nigeria.

Instead of keeping the package full of cash for himself, the soldier called a phone number mentioned on it. It turns out that the telephone contact was that of the owner of the money: 37000 euros – about 41 500 US dollars, according to the Nigerian Air Force.

She announced that Umar would be rewarded by military officials, with the aim of “encouraging other staff members of the service” to adopt this attitude of disinterestedness and honesty. But the military did not say how the soldier’s attitude will be rewarded.

This is not the first time honest people return forgotten valuables at Nigeria’s airports. Last August, Lagos airport authorities paid tribute to two security guards who returned “a sum of money and expensive items” to their owner.

In September, a cleaning agent was commended for a similar fact.