The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a commercial driver found with ₦1 million in fake N1,000 notes along the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
According to a statement released on Saturday by the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, the arrest was made during a routine stop by officers of the Federal Highway Patrol Team on Friday evening.
The incident occurred around 8:45 pm near the Guru Maharaj Ji area, a well-known spot along the busy expressway. The suspect was driving a green Toyota Sienna with Lagos registration number FKJ 443 YG.
Osifeso said the officers became suspicious of the driver’s behaviour, prompting them to search the vehicle. During the search, they found ₦1 million in counterfeit N1,000 notes wrapped in transparent plastic and sealed with tape.
“The fake cash had only three different serial numbers: ₦500,000 marked 235923, ₦300,000 marked 235922, and ₦200,000 marked 235921,” Osifeso explained.
The driver, whose name has not been disclosed, reportedly told police he was acting as a courier. He claimed the parcel was handed to him by an unknown individual in Ojota, Lagos, with instructions to deliver it to someone in Osogbo, Osun State. However, the driver said he was not given the name or contact details of the supposed recipient.
He also claimed he was told the parcel contained body cream, not money.
The police say the packaging and lack of identification raise strong suspicions about the driver’s full involvement or knowledge of the illegal contents. Investigations are still ongoing to uncover the source of the counterfeit currency and any possible criminal network behind it.
In Nigeria, being in possession of counterfeit currency is a serious offence under the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, which carries severe penalties including imprisonment.
Meanwhile, members of the public have been advised to always check their banknotes when receiving cash, particularly during transactions involving large sums. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued guidelines on how to identify fake notes, including texture, watermarks, and colour changes under light.
The suspect is currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Ibadan, while police say efforts are ongoing to trace the source of the fake cash and anyone linked to its production or movement.
