EFCC investigates undeclared $20,000, CFA110,000 seized at Seme border

From Sola Ojo, Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into the seizure of $20,000 and CFA110,000 by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Seme Border in Lagos State.

The foreign currencies were intercepted on Sunday, July 13, 2025, during a patrol by NCS officers along Babapupa bush paths in Badagry.

The cash was discovered inside a suspected smuggled Nissan Almera vehicle.

EFCC Spokesman Dele Oyewale, who confirmed the development, said the driver hurriedly abandoned the vehicle and fled into the bush upon sighting customs officers.

During the handover of the seized cash at the NCS Zone A Command in Ikeja, Comptroller M.S. Shuaibu emphasised the importance of the operation in tackling illicit financial flows and enforcing currency declaration laws under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

Shuaibu stated that all currencies above $10,000 must be declared at Nigeria’s borders and reaffirmed NCS’s commitment to inter-agency cooperation.

Receiving the money on behalf of the EFCC, Head of Investigations for the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, S.M. Ala, assured that a thorough forensic investigation would be carried out.

He commended the customs officers for their vigilance and commitment to protecting the nation’s borders.