The Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into Phil-Olumba Ifunaya Sheila, who was apprehended by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for allegedly failing to declare foreign currencies amounting to $14,567, £1,030, and CA$40.
This was confirmed in a statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
Sheila was intercepted on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, during a routine check at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. At the time of her arrest, she was en route to the United Kingdom and claimed she had only $4,000 in her possession.
In a separate case, the EFCC said it is also investigating a parcel intercepted by officials of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and NCS operatives, which contained 101 trillion Zimbabwean Dollars, valued at approximately ₦426 billion, and 41,640,000 Vietnamese Dong, worth about ₦95,746.52.
During the handover of the suspect and the seized currencies, E. J. Harrison, Area Comptroller of the NCS at the airport, stated:
“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.”
Receiving the suspect and the contents of the intercepted parcel, EFCC operative M. A. Timta assured the Customs Service of the Commission’s commitment to a thorough and timely investigation.
Speaking on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Ahmed Ghali, Timta also praised the NCS for its continued vigilance in curbing financial crimes across the country.