A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday heard how Kavlak Onal, an Austrian national, was allegedly intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, with undeclared foreign currencies totalling over $1.45 million while attempting to board an international flight.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opened its case against Onal over allegations of money laundering arising from his failure to declare $800,585 and €651,505, in violation of Nigeria’s currency declaration regulations.
At the resumed hearing before Yellim Bogoro (Justice) the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC presented its first prosecution witness, Yusuf Suleiman, an officer of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) attached to the airport.
Suleiman told the court that Onal was arrested on December 16, 2025, while preparing to board an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai.
He said the defendant was intercepted during a routine check at the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Currency Declaration Desk after allegedly failing to declare the foreign currencies in his possession.
According to the witness, the defendant was initially brought to his attention by a protocol officer who sought assistance to help a sick passenger proceed to the boarding gate.
Suleiman said the passenger, later identified as Onal, claimed he had no funds to declare.
He explained that Nigerian law requires all passengers in possession of more than $10,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency to make a declaration to the Customs Service, noting that regular public announcements are made at the airport and signages mounted at both inbound and outbound terminals to guide travellers.
“Passengers can declare electronically before arriving at the airport, while at home, or within the airport premises. Flyers are also provided to guide travellers through the process,” Suleiman said.
He told the court that after personally asking Onal, in the presence of another Customs officer, Joshua Ogundire, whether he had any money to declare, the defendant again denied carrying any declarable funds.
A search was subsequently conducted on the defendant’s luggage, during which large sums of United States Dollars and Euros were discovered in various denominations.
“When the bag was opened, it was filled with currencies, and I immediately escalated the matter to my second-in-command,” Suleiman testified.
The witness further told the court that the defendant initially claimed to be ill but later appeared healthy and pleaded with Customs officers to allow him proceed with his journey, allegedly offering to “settle” them if they refrained from reporting the incident.
Suleiman said the defendant claimed he did not know the exact amount of money he was carrying.
However, after counting, Customs officers discovered $800,585 and €651,505 in his possession.
He added that Onal admitted to being a frequent traveller and acknowledged awareness of the Customs declaration point, stating that although he had previously travelled with sums between $20,000 and $30,000, he had never carried such a large amount.
The witness said some of the currencies were neatly bundled, while others were kept in envelopes bearing different names.
Onal was subsequently issued a statement form and handed over to the Area Comptroller along with the seized currencies, his international passport, boarding pass and written statement.
Following investigations by the Nigerian Customs Service, the defendant and all recovered items were transferred to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
Onal was arraigned on January 9, 2026, on a two-count charge bordering on money laundering, contrary to Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. He pleaded not guilty to both counts.
During the proceedings, Bilikisu Bala, prosecution counsel, sought to tender the defendant’s statement through the witness.
However, Victor Okpara, defence counsel, objected to its admissibility, arguing that the statement was obtained through inducement and was not voluntarily made, and requested a trial-within-trial.
The prosecution subsequently withdrew the document, a request granted by the court.
Suleiman told the court that he had served with the NCS since 2011 and that his duties include profiling and monitoring passengers to ensure compliance with currency declaration laws and to prevent illicit financial flows.
He confirmed that airport signages are written in English and French, despite the diversity of nationalities using the facility, and insisted that the defendant had categorically stated he had no money to declare.
He also denied claims that the defendant disclosed the presence of the money in his luggage before the search.
Suleiman further confirmed that he later wrote a statement at the EFCC but was unaware whether the defendant made a separate statement during EFCC investigations.
At the conclusion of proceedings, Bogoro adjourned the matter until February 27, 2026, for continuation of trial.
