EFCC ‘discovers $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m’ inside empty apartment

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has discovered $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m in a house in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The anti-graft agency said its operatives found the cash pile during a sting operation on Wednesday.

The cash pile stashed in the apartment include dollars, pounds and naira, said the EFCC.

A statement released by the EFCC said the stash was discovered in “the 7th Floor of a four – bedroom apartment at Osborne Towers located at 16, Osborne road Ikoyi, Lagos”.

“The operation followed a whistle blower’s confidential alert received by the Commission’s Lagos office this morning regarding some noticed suspicious movement of bags in and out of a particular apartment in the building. According to the source, the movers of the bags, make believe that they bring in bags of clothes,” the statement read.

“Another source who is conversant with the apartment of interest indicated that some woman usually appeared on different occassion with Ghana Must Go bags. She comes looking haggard, with dirty clothes but her skin didn’t quite match her outward appearance, perhaps a disguise”, the source said.

“On getting to the building, operatives met the entrance door locked. Inquiries from the guards at the gate explained that nobody resides in the apartment, but some persons come in and out once in a while. In compliance with the magisterial order contained in the warrant, the EFCC used minimum force to gain entrance into the apartment.

“Monies were found in two of the four bedroom apartment. Further probe of the wardrobe by operatives in one of the rooms, was found to be warehousing three fire proof cabinents disguisedly hidden behind wooden panels of the wardrobe. Upon assessing the content of the cabinets, neatly arranged US Dollars, Pound Sterling and some Naira notes in sealed wrappers.”

The anti-graft agency says preliminary findings indicate that the funds are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity, adding that the “facility is said to be owned by Osborne Towers Resident Association”.