An unusual incident involving a former Nigerian governor was recounted by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, during a sensitisation event in Lagos on Friday, as reported by Daily Trust on Saturday, July 19, 2025.
According to Olukoyede, the ex-governor, who was under EFCC investigation while in office, fled Nigeria to the United Kingdom just one day after handing over power in an attempt to evade arrest.
Coincidentally, the trip aligned with the former governor’s birthday.
He organized a lavish celebration at the hotel where he was staying in London.
During the party, he began spraying British currency—£50 and £10 notes—into the air, a practice not customary in the UK.
The act stunned hotel staff, particularly the manager, who was unfamiliar with such displays of wealth.
Olukoyede narrated that the hotel manager, believing the former governor might be mentally unstable, contacted emergency services.
“He had never seen such a thing in his life, so he had to call 911,” the EFCC chairman said.
When the Metropolitan Police arrived, they reportedly moved to detain the ex-governor and were preparing to place him in an ambulance.
The scene quickly escalated until several guests at the party, including two sitting Nigerian governors and other associates, intervened.
They explained to the UK authorities that the man in question was not mentally ill but a former high-ranking official from Nigeria engaging in a cultural tradition, albeit in an inappropriate setting.
