The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has launched an investigation into Okorie Sunday, a traveler apprehended by the Nigeria Customs Service at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, for making a false currency declaration.
Sunday was intercepted on March 19, 2025, after arriving from Johannesburg, South Africa.
While he initially declared $279,000 at the Currency Declaration Desk, further inspection uncovered an additional $299,000 concealed in various packages, raising the total to $578,000.
Authorities also found €100 and a counterfeit $250 in his possession.
In a statement issued on Saturday, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 took over the case on March 21, 2025, following the formal handover by the NCS Area Comptroller at the airport.
During the handover, an NCS official, Harrison, highlighted that Sunday’s actions contravened the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, which stipulates that any amount exceeding $10,000 must be fully declared by both incoming and outgoing travelers.
While receiving the suspect, the acting Zonal Director of EFCC Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Ahmed Ghali, commended the NCS for its cooperation, emphasizing the significance of inter-agency collaboration in achieving shared objectives.
“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 wary 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 stated.
He further warned against false or incomplete currency declarations, stressing their detrimental impact on Nigeria’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 added.
