The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, on Friday arraigned an Austrian national, Kavlak Onal, before the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, over the alleged failure to declare large sums of foreign currency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Onal was brought before Justice Yelim Bogoro following his arrest by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). He was intercepted during a routine check at the Anti-Money Laundering/Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Currency Declaration Desk while preparing to board an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai on December 16, 2025.
According to the EFCC, the defendant was found in possession of $800,575 and €651,505, which he allegedly failed to declare to the Customs authorities as required by law. He was subsequently handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
Upon the conclusion of investigations, Onal was arraigned on Friday, January 9, 2026, on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering.
In the first count, the prosecution alleged that the defendant, on December 13, 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the court, failed to declare the sum of $800,575 to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.
The second count similarly accused Onal of failing to declare €651,505 at the same airport and on the same date, in violation of the same statutory provision.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to both counts when the charges were read to him.
Following the plea, prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Bala Buhari, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a correctional centre pending trial. Defence counsel, Stanley Imhanruor, informed the court that a bail application had been filed on behalf of the defendant.
Responding, the prosecution said it was served with the bail application at 9.07 a.m. on Friday and requested time to study and respond to it.
Justice Bogoro subsequently adjourned the matter to January 16, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.
