By SULEIMAN SHEHU

The Police Command in Oyo State says it has arrested a male driver (name withheld), allegedly in possession of N1,000,000 fake currency.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the State, Adewale Osifeso, made this known in a statement he issued in Ibadan on Saturday.

Osifeso stated that the suspect was arrested by the command’s Federal Highway Patrol Team during a stop-and-search operation on Friday.

The arrest, he said, was made at about 8.45 p.m. around the Guru Maharaj Ji area of the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.

According to him, the driver, on his way to Osogbo, was driving a green Sienna vehicle with registration number Lagos FKJ 443 YG.

He stated that the suspicious character of the driver prompted the officers to conduct a thorough search of his vehicle.

“During the investigation, officers discovered approximately ?1,000,000 in banknotes of N1,000 denomination.

“The notes bore only three unique serial numbers: 235923 – N500,000 (500 notes); 235922- N300,000 (300 notes); and 235921- N200,000 (200 notes), all concealed in a transparent plastic parcel secured with ample tape.

“Upon questioning, the suspect, a male, indicated that he was acting as a courier, having received the cash from an unidentified individual in Ojota, Lagos,” he said.

According to Osifeso, the suspect stated that he was instructed to deliver the funds to Osogbo but that he had not been given the recipient’s name or contact details.

The PPRO said the suspect claimed the person who gave him the package told him it contained body cream.

Osifeso pledged the command’s commitment to combating currency counterfeiting and other financial crimes jeopardising the nation’s economy and community safety.

He said further investigations would continue on the matter, and updates would be communicated to the public.

“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate channels,” he said. (NAN)

Update news