posted 2nd April 2025
Lagos Court Sentences Man to Three Months in Prison for Failing to Declare $30,000 at Airport
Lagos, Nigeria – A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced Okunfulure Olusola Steve to three months in prison for money laundering after he failed to declare $30,000 (£22,500) in cash at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The ruling was delivered by Justice Deinde I. Dipeolu on Wednesday, 2 April 2025, following Steve’s guilty plea to a one-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Steve, who was apprehended on 28 March 2025 by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) while attempting to board a Delta Airlines flight to Atlanta, United States, falsely declared that he was carrying only Nigerian Naira. However, a subsequent search revealed the undeclared sum of $30,000 in his possession. The NCS handed him over to the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 in Ikoyi that same day for further investigation.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the prosecution, led by C.C. Okezie, presented evidence detailing the events leading to Steve’s arrest. EFCC operative Felicia Paul testified that the defendant had been cautioned and interviewed, admitting to the offence in a written statement. The court also heard that Steve had been served with bail conditions following his handover from the NCS. Documents tendered as evidence—including Steve’s statement, the NCS handover note, the arresting officer’s statement, and the $30,000 in question—were admitted and marked as exhibits by Justice Dipeolu.
The single charge against Steve read: “That you, Okunfulure Olusola Steve, on the 28th day of March, 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable 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.” Although the charge cited $20,000, evidence confirmed the total undeclared amount was $30,000.
After Steve pleaded guilty, Okezie urged the court to order the forfeiture of the undeclared funds to the Federal Government of Nigeria and impose a custodial sentence. In response, defence counsel Joel Ogundere argued for leniency, noting that Steve was a first-time offender unaware of the currency declaration policy. Ogundere described his client as a family man with legitimate funds, as evidenced by his bank records, and requested the court waive a prison term in favour of a fine or forfeiture of the money.
Justice Dipeolu, however, rejected the plea for leniency. Having reviewed the exhibits and Steve’s statement, the judge found him guilty as charged and sentenced him to three months imprisonment, effective from the date of his arrest on 28 March 2025. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the $30,000 to the Nigerian government.
