EFCC Probes Woman Arrested With Undeclared $14,567, £1030 and CA$40 At Airport

Agents of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos have initiated an investigation into one Phil-Olumba Ifunaya Sheila, apprehended by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for allegedly failing to declare the amounts of $14,567 (Fourteen Thousand Five Hundred and Sixty-seven United States Dollars), £1030 (One Thousand and Thirty British Pounds Sterling), and CA$40 (Forty Canadian Dollars).

Sheila was detained by NCS operatives during a routine inspection on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Upon her arrest, the suspect, who was set to travel to the United Kingdom, claimed she was carrying only $4,000.

In a related matter, the Commission has also started investigating a parcel containing ZW 101,000,000,000,000 (One Hundred and One Trillion Zimbabwean Dollars), equivalent to ₦426,091,066,068.06, and 41,640,000 VND (Forty-one Million Six Hundred and Forty Thousand Vietnamese Dong), equivalent to ₦95,746.52, which was seized by officials of the Nigerian Postal Service, NIPOST, and NCS operatives.

During the transfer of the suspect and the seized foreign currencies, the Area Comptroller overseeing the NCS at the Airport, E.J. Harrison, said: “Today, we have two interceptions that we want to handover 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 government.”

While accepting the suspect and the currency-filled parcel, M.A. Timta, an operative of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, assured the Service that the EFCC would, as customary, promptly investigate the parcel and pursue the investigation and prosecution of the suspect.

Timta, speaking on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, EFCC, Ahmed Ghali, praised the Service for its ongoing commitment to combating illegal financial activities in the country.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli