The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has initiated an investigation into Phil-Olumba Ifunaya Sheila, who was recently detained by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, for allegedly failing to disclose significant amounts of foreign currency.
According to Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Sheila was intercepted by NCS officials during a standard security screening on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, as she prepared to board a flight to the United Kingdom.
Authorities report that she was found with $14,567, £1,030, and CA$40, which she did not declare as required by law. When questioned, she allegedly claimed to possess only $4,000.
In a separate but related operation, the EFCC also confirmed the commencement of an inquiry into a suspicious parcel intercepted by operatives of the NCS in collaboration with officials from the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).
The parcel reportedly contained foreign notes, including 101 trillion Zimbabwean Dollars (equivalent to ₦426,091,066,068.06) and 41,640,000 Vietnamese Dong (equivalent to ₦95,746.52).
Speaking during the official handover of the suspect and the seized foreign currencies, E. J. Harrison, the Area Comptroller of 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.”
He further explained, “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. 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.”
Harrison emphasized the agency’s mandate to prevent such illegal inflows of currency, stating, “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.”
In response, M. A. Timta, a representative of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, received the suspect and the intercepted parcel. Speaking on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Ahmed Ghali, Timta assured the NCS that the EFCC would promptly commence investigations into both the undeclared currency incident and the seized parcel. He also praised the Customs Service for its ongoing commitment to combating financial crimes.
What You Should Know
Phil-Olumba Ifunaya Sheila was apprehended at Lagos airport for allegedly failing to declare foreign currencies in her possession. Additionally, a suspicious parcel containing vast sums of Zimbabwean and Vietnamese currency was intercepted.
Both matters are now under EFCC investigation, reflecting ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to address currency smuggling and financial misconduct.
