(DDM) — Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have commenced an in-depth investigation into an Austrian national, Kavlak Onal, following his arrest at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos over the alleged failure to declare huge sums of foreign currency while attempting to leave Nigeria.
The anti-graft agency disclosed that the suspect was intercepted by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service at the Lagos airport while preparing to board an Emirates Airlines flight bound for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
According to official information released on Wednesday, the arrest occurred on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, during routine outbound passenger screening at the international terminal of the airport in Ikeja.
The EFCC said preliminary findings showed that the Austrian national was allegedly in possession of $800,575 and €651,505, amounts which he reportedly failed to declare as required by Nigerian financial and customs regulations.
The undeclared cash, running into well over one million dollars in combined value, immediately triggered concerns about possible violations of Nigeria’s foreign exchange and anti-money laundering laws.
Officials explained that Nigerian law requires travelers carrying cash above approved thresholds to declare such sums to relevant authorities in order to curb illicit financial flows and transnational crimes.
Following his interception, the suspect was handed over to operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC for further investigation into the source, purpose, and intended use of the funds.
While receiving the suspect from the Nigeria Customs Service, the Head of the Foreign Exchange Malpractices Section, ACE II Adejumo Richard, praised the customs officers for what he described as professionalism and effective inter-agency cooperation.
He noted that collaboration between the EFCC and the Customs Service has become increasingly critical in tackling economic crimes linked to currency smuggling, money laundering, and illegal capital flight.
The EFCC official, speaking on behalf of the Commission’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, stressed that such synergy strengthens Nigeria’s ability to detect and disrupt financial crimes at entry and exit points.
He added that investigations would determine whether the funds were proceeds of crime or linked to other illicit activities, including money laundering or terrorism financing.
DDM gathered that the arrest has once again drawn attention to persistent attempts by individuals and syndicates to move large volumes of cash out of Nigeria without proper declaration or documentation.
Security experts say airports have increasingly become hotspots for foreign currency smuggling, as criminals exploit international travel routes to evade detection.
The latest incident recalls a similar case reported in October 2025, when security operatives at the same Lagos airport allegedly intercepted passengers carrying about $6.1 million in cash at the domestic terminal.
Those suspects were said to be young men believed to be acting as couriers for a politically exposed person, although authorities did not publicly disclose their identities or final destination at the time.
Anti-corruption advocates argue that repeated cases of undeclared cash movements reflect deeper issues surrounding financial transparency, weak enforcement, and the attraction of Nigeria as a transit point for illicit funds.
They also warn that unchecked currency smuggling undermines the naira, weakens the financial system, and damages Nigeria’s international reputation.
The EFCC has assured the public that the Austrian national will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted if found culpable, insisting that no individual, regardless of nationality, is above Nigeria’s financial laws.
Officials reiterated that the Commission remains committed to tightening controls at airports and strengthening partnerships with sister agencies to combat economic and financial crimes nationwide.
