The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos, says it is investigating one Phil-Olumba Ifunaya Sheila, arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for allegedly failing to declare the sums of $14,567, £1030, and CA$40.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the agency, Dele Oyewale.
Sheila was intercepted by operatives of the NCS during a routine check on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Upon arrest, the suspect, who was scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom, claimed she had only $4,000 on her.
In a related development, the Commission said it had also begun an investigation of a parcel containing 101 trillion Zimbabwean Dollars, equivalent to ₦426,091,066,068.06, and 41,640,000 Vietnamese Dong, equivalent to ₦95,746.52, which was intercepted by officials of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and operatives of the NCS.
During the handing over of the suspect and the various foreign currencies, the Area Comptroller in charge of the NCS at the airport, E. J. Harrison, said, “Today, we have two interceptions that we want to hand over to the EFCC. And they are coming from two separate places in the Command.
“The first one comes from an area that we may not know so much about, but it is part of our coverage and area of responsibility, that is, NIPOST (Nigerian Postal Service). We intercepted a parcel that contained foreign currencies.
“In fact, it was the vigilance and dedication of our officers and the NIPOST’s officials, while examining the parcel, that it was discovered that someone was trying to bring in a load of currencies into Nigeria.
“But it is our responsibility to ensure that such doesn’t happen. So, we have, today, a parcel that will be investigated by the appropriate agency of the government.”
While receiving the suspect and the money contained in the intercepted parcel, an operative of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, M. A. Timta, assured the service that the EFCC would, as usual, expedite action on investigation of the parcel as well as investigation and prosecution of the suspect.
Timta, who spoke on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, Ahmed Ghali, commended the Service for its sustained efforts in tackling illegal financial activities in the country.
