The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into Okorie Sunday, a man arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, for false currency declaration.
Sunday was detained upon his arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa, on March 19, 2025. While he declared $279,000 at the Currency Declaration Desk, a subsequent search uncovered an additional $299,000 concealed in various packages, bringing the total amount to $578,000. Authorities also found €100 and a counterfeit $250 among his belongings.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 officially took over the case on March 21, 2025, following the handover of the suspect by the NCS Area Comptroller at the airport.
During the handover, an NCS official, Harrison, emphasized that the act violated the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, which requires passengers to properly declare any currency exceeding $10,000 when entering or leaving the country.
Upon receiving the suspect, Oyewale stated that the acting Zonal Director of EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Ahmed Ghali, praised the NCS for its cooperation in the matter.
He stated that inter-agency collaboration was very crucial to achieving a common goal, adding that, “We are here today to take over one passenger coming from South Africa for falsely declaring the cash he was carrying along . I want members of the public to be weary of this kind of act . It is incumbent on each and every person going out or coming into the country to declare any cash in excess of $10,000. It is mandatory by virtue of the provisions of our laws, especially the money laundering law”
Ghali warned against false or non-declaration of foreign currency, stressing that such offenses undermine the country’s financial integrity.
“We will not allow anyone to sabotage the economy or the financial system. This kind of act exposes the country to risks, including money laundering, and gives Nigeria a bad reputation globally. We will continue to synergize efforts to strengthen the economy and financial sector,” Ghali stated.