EFCC arraigns Austrian over undeclared $800,575, €651,505 at Lagos Airport

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Kavlak Onal, an Austrian national, before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over his alleged failure to declare large sums of foreign currency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Onal was brought before Yelim Bogoro (Justice) on Friday, by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.

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According to the EFCC, the defendant was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) while attempting to travel on an Emirates Airline flight to Dubai.

He was intercepted during a routine screening at the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Currency Declaration Desk at the airport on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

The anti-graft agency disclosed that Onal was found to be in possession of $800,575 and €651,505, which he allegedly failed to declare to the Nigeria Customs Service as required by law.

Following his arrest, he was handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Upon the conclusion of investigations, the EFCC filed a two-count charge against him.

In count one, the prosecution alleged that Onal, 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 punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.

The second count accused him of similarly failing to declare €651,505 at the same airport on the same date, an offence also punishable under the same section of the Act.

A statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Spokesman on Friday noted that when the charges were read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Following the plea, the prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Bala Buhari, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant at a correctional centre pending trial.

However, Stanley Imhanruor, defence counsel, informed the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client.

Responding, the prosecution stated that the bail application was served on her at about 9:07 a.m. on Friday, January 9, 2026, and requested time to study and respond to it.

After listening to both parties, Bogoro adjourned the matter to January 16, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.