EFCC Investigates Woman Caught With Undeclared $14,567, £1,030, and CA$40 at Lagos Airport
Lagos, Nigeria – July 24, 2025 | By Okafor Joseph for SpringnewsNG Media Limited
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into a Nigerian woman, Phil-Olumba Ifunaya Sheila, after she was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, for allegedly attempting to smuggle undeclared foreign currencies out of the country.
Sheila was intercepted on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, during a routine security screening as she prepared to board a flight to the United Kingdom. Upon initial questioning, she told customs officials she was carrying only $4,000.
However, a more thorough search revealed that Sheila was actually in possession of $14,567 (US dollars), £1,030 (British pounds), and CA$40 (Canadian dollars)—all of which she allegedly failed to declare as required by Nigerian financial laws.
In a statement released on Thursday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed that the Commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 had taken over the case for further investigation.
“The EFCC has commenced investigation into Phil-Olumba Ifunaya Sheila, who was arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service for allegedly failing to declare the foreign currencies found in her possession. She was apprehended at the Lagos international airport while traveling to the UK,” the statement said.
Suspicious Parcel Intercepted Containing ZW$101 Trillion and Vietnamese Dong
In a related development, Customs officials at the airport, in collaboration with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), also intercepted a suspicious parcel during a routine examination. The parcel was found to contain ZW$101 trillion (Zimbabwean dollars), equivalent to approximately ₦426.09 billion, and 41.64 million Vietnamese Dong, valued at ₦95,746.
During the official handover of the suspect and parcel to the EFCC, Area Comptroller of Customs, E.J. Harrison, said:
“Today, we present two major interceptions. One involves a suspect caught with undeclared currencies, and the other is a high-value parcel seized at NIPOST.”
EFCC officer M.A. Timta, who represented the Acting Zonal Director Ahmed Ghali during the handover, assured the public that investigations would be expedited and necessary legal actions would follow.
He also praised the Nigeria Customs Service for its diligence in curbing illegal financial transactions, reaffirming the EFCC’s commitment to combating economic and financial crimes through inter-agency collaboration.
More updates to follow as investigations progress.
