In a dramatic courtroom verdict, Justice A.O. Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced a man, Igboezue Emeka, to one month imprisonment for attempting to smuggle $40,000 in undeclared cash through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Emeka’s downfall began on February 12, 2025, when operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted him during a routine security check. Upon questioning, Emeka denied carrying any undeclared currency. However, a thorough search revealed the hard currency cunningly concealed inside one of his shoes stashed in his hand luggage.
Following the discovery, Emeka was immediately handed over to the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and prosecution.
The EFCC subsequently arraigned him on a one-count charge of money laundering. The charge read:
“That you, IGBOEZUE EMEKA, on or about the 12th day of February, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, within the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $40,000.00 USD (Forty Thousand United States Dollars) to the Nigerian Customs Service and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(3) of the Money Laundering Act, No. 14 of 2022 and punishable under Section 3 (5) of the same Act.”
Emeka pleaded guilty to the charge during court proceedings. The EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, Nnaemeka Omewa, called EFCC operative Michael Olayemi to present the facts of the case. Olayemi detailed how intelligence from the NCS prompted the EFCC’s swift action.
“At exactly 1:20 p.m. on the 12th of February, we received intelligence that a passenger had been intercepted at the airport for failing to declare a large sum of money,” Olayemi testified. “I immediately dispatched my team to retrieve the suspect, the money, and relevant documents from the Customs unit.”
According to Olayemi, Emeka was found in possession of $40,000 in cash, two mobile phones, and an international passport. In a cautionary statement made in the presence of his lawyer and relatives, Emeka admitted he was traveling to Seoul, South Korea, via Qatar Airways and denied having any money when first questioned by customs officials.
The case took a decisive turn when Customs Officer Ogar Sadin John, who made the initial interception, confirmed that Emeka had denied carrying any cash. Suspicious of the passenger’s demeanor, John conducted a more thorough search and found the concealed cash hidden in a shoe inside the carry-on luggage.
The prosecution tendered Emeka’s cautionary statement, the monetary exhibit, and other relevant materials as evidence. Justice Owoeye accepted the submissions and marked them as exhibits.
Delivering judgment, Justice Owoeye found Emeka guilty and sentenced him to one month in prison, with the sentence to run from the date of his arrest—February 12, 2025.
The case serves as a stern warning to international travelers and money launderers who attempt to outsmart border authorities. The collaboration between the NCS and EFCC highlights Nigeria’s increasing vigilance in curbing financial crimes and enforcing transparency at its ports of entry.
PIONEER NEWS 