Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos has remanded an Austrian national, Kavlak Onal, in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service over his alleged failure to declare large sums of foreign currency found in his possession.
Onal was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge bordering on the non-declaration of $800,585 and €651,505 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The defendant, who was scheduled to travel to Dubai aboard an Emirates Airlines flight, was intercepted on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) during a routine check at the Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Currency Declaration Desk at the airport.
His arraignment followed his handover by the NCS to operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
During the proceedings, the prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence on December 13, 2025, during outward clearance at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to the prosecution, Onal was arrested by officers of the Anti-Money Laundering Unit of the NCS after he failed to declare the foreign currencies in his possession.
Buhari said the alleged offence contravenes Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.
When the charges were read to him, the defendant pleaded not guilty to both counts, prompting the prosecution to apply for his remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending trial.
However, defence counsel informed the court that a bail application had been filed on behalf of the defendant and served on the prosecution, requesting that his client be remanded in EFCC custody pending the hearing and determination of the application.
In response, the prosecution confirmed receipt of the bail application at about 9:03 a.m. and requested a short adjournment to enable her study the application and file a response.
After hearing arguments from both parties, Justice Bogoro adjourned the matter to January 16 for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending its determination.
