UPDATE: Again, EFCC discovers another $43.4m, N23.2m, £27,800 in Ikoyi home

ANOTHER huge sum of foreign and local currencies have been uncovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an Ikoyi apartment, Lagos State.

This is just as the anti-corruption body found another N250million at Balogun Market, Lagos barely 48hours ago.

According to the EFCC, the money recovered in cash is about $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m

The money recovered which is about N15 billion in naira value, was taken away by the commission’s operatives in the house located on Gerard Road, Ikoyi.

There are unconfirmed reports of the house belonging to a top politician.

Commission’s spokesperson in Lagos, Samin Amaddin, confirmed the recovery, adding that a whistleblower reportedly tipped the commission office.

The latest recovery was two days after the commission recovered €547,730 and £21,090 as well as N5,648,500 from a Bureau de Change operator in Balogun Market, Lagos.

Last Thursday, the EFCC recovered another N449,000,860 hidden in an abandoned shop in Lagos.

EFCC’s report on the new recovery reads:

“The whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government is paying off positively as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today stormed a residential building in the 7th Floor of a four – bedroom apartment at Osborne Towers located at 16, Osborne road Ikoyi, Lagos, where a humongous find of foreign currencies and Naira notes to the tune of $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m was uncovered.

“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.

“Another source who is conversant with the apartment of interest indicated that some women 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.

“Preliminary findings indicate that the funds are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

“The facility is said to be owned by Osborne Towers Resident Association.

“Investigations are ongoing.”