MAN JAILED 3 MONTHS FOR FAILING TO DECLARE $30,000 AT LAGOS AIRPORT
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and 3-month imprisonment of one Okunfulure Olusola Steve for money laundering.
The EFCC arraigned Okunfulure before Justice Deinde I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, following his arrest at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, on March 28, 2025.
Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) arrested Okunfulure for false declaration of $30,000 (Thirty Thousand US DOllars), and handed him over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution
The convict was a departing passenger on Delta Airline to Atlanta, United States, and had declared that he was not in possession of any sum of money in foreign currency but in Naira, while being profiled at the Currency Declaration Desk.
EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, disclosed in a statement that the man was later arraigned on Wednesday on one-count charge bordering on money laundering, to which he pleaded guilty.
The count reads: “That you, Okunfulure Olusola Steve, on the 28th day of March, 2025 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $20,000 (Twenty Thousand United States Dollars) to the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and Punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced the defendant to three months imprisonment, with effect from the date of his arrest on March 28,2025.
The Judge also ordered that the money recovered from him be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.