The millions of dollars uncovered in a Nigerian apartment are enough to make you trawl through your junk email box – you know, just in case.
While some might be annoyed by the scam emails claiming you’ve won a life-changing sum of money from a generous ‘Nigerian Prince’, the less cynical among us may now have a reason to respond.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have just uncovered $43.4 million Naira – the Nigerian currency which totalled £114,875.25 in GBP – as well as £27,800 in a Lagos residence.
The money was found in a four bedroom apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos after officials received a tip off that a suspicious woman was depositing large amounts of cash and hiding them in fire-proof cabinets.
Cue everyone reassessing everything they knew about email scams:
The EFCC released a statement saying:
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.
The statement continued:
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.
Nigeria is a country in which corruption is rife and well-documented, ranked 136 out of 176 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.
The Nigerian authorities say investigations are ongoing.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.