Oyo State Police Command has apprehended a male driver, whose identity remains undisclosed, for allegedly possessing N1,000,000 in counterfeit currency.
According to a statement released on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, in Ibadan, the arrest occurred during a routine stop-and-search operation conducted by the command’s Federal Highway Patrol Team.
The incident took place on Friday at approximately 8:45 p.m. near the Guru Maharaj Ji area along the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
The suspect was driving a green Sienna vehicle, registered as Lagos FKJ 443 YG, and was reportedly en route to Osogbo. Osifeso noted that the driver’s suspicious behavior prompted officers to thoroughly inspect the vehicle.
“During the search, officers uncovered about ₦1,000,000 in N1,000 denomination banknotes, which were found to have only three distinct serial numbers: 235923 for 500 notes worth N500,000, 235922 for 300 notes worth N300,000, and 235921 for 200 notes worth N200,000,” Osifeso explained.
“The counterfeit notes were concealed in a transparent plastic parcel, tightly secured with tape.”
Upon interrogation, the suspect claimed he was acting as a courier, having received the package from an unidentified individual in Ojota, Lagos.
“He stated that he was instructed to deliver the package to Osogbo but was not provided with the recipient’s name or contact information,” Osifeso added.
The driver further alleged that he was told the parcel contained body cream.
Osifeso reaffirmed the police command’s dedication to tackling currency counterfeiting and other financial crimes that threaten Nigeria’s economy and public safety.
He assured the public that investigations are ongoing and that updates will be provided as the case progresses.
“We encourage citizens to stay alert and report any suspicious activities through the appropriate channels,” he urged.
