Austrian National Charged by EFCC for Undeclared Cash at Lagos Airport

January 10, 2026 at 01:31 AM•2 min read

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned an Austrian national for allegedly failing to declare $800,575 and €651,505 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Key Points

1Austrian national Kavlak Onal was arraigned by the EFCC for non-declaration of foreign currency.
2The undeclared sum totaled $800,575 and €651,505, intercepted at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
3Nigerian law requires travelers to declare currency exceeding the $10,000 limit.
4The case highlights strict enforcement of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Kavlak Onal, an Austrian national, in Lagos. He faces charges for allegedly failing to declare large sums of undeclared foreign currency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

Onal appeared before Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi on Friday. The charges border on money laundering offenses.

Interception and Allegations

The defendant was arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Anti-Money Laundering Unit. The interception occurred on December 16, 2025, during a routine screening. Onal was attempting to travel on an Emirates Airline flight bound for Dubai.

Authorities found him in possession of $800,575 and €651,505. This total amount was allegedly not declared to the NCS, as required by Nigerian law. The EFCC took custody for further investigation and prosecution.

Regulatory Context and Aviation Impact

Nigerian law mandates that travelers must declare any foreign currency. The threshold for declaration is any amount exceeding $10,000 or its equivalent. Failure to declare is a serious offense. It violates the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.

Aviation Security: The incident highlights the strict anti-money laundering (AML) protocols. These measures are enforced at the airport's currency declaration desk.
Global Standards: Such enforcement aligns with global efforts to combat illicit financial flows. These standards are promoted by bodies like ICAO and IATA.
Airline Compliance: The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has recently pushed airlines for compliance. They must announce the $10,000 declaration rule to passengers.

This ongoing enforcement shows Nigeria's commitment to financial transparency. It is a critical part of maintaining global commercial aviation news standards and security. For more updates, visit flying.flights.

Court Proceedings

The two-count charge specifically cites the non-declaration of the $800,575 and €651,505. Both counts are punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering Act, 2022.

The Austrian national pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The prosecution requested the court to remand Onal pending trial.
Defense counsel filed a bail application for the defendant.

Justice Bogoro adjourned the matter to January 16, 2026. This date is set for the hearing of the bail application. The court ordered that Onal be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Services custody.