Onal, who was due to fly to Dubai on Emirates Airlines, was arrested on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, during a routine check at the airport’s Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Currency Declaration Desk.
Authorities said he was carrying $800,575 and €651,505, which he did not declare as required by law.
The EFCC stated that Onal was arraigned on Friday, January 9, 2026, before Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on a two-count charge.
A statement by the agency on social media said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, January 9, 2026, arraigned one Kavlak Onal, an Austrian national arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for allegedly failing to declare the sums of $800,575 and €651,505 in his possession.
“He was arraigned before Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi , Lagos.
“Onal, who was scheduled to travel on Emirates Airline to Dubai, was on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 intercepted during a routine check at the AML/ CFT Currency Declaration Desk at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.”
The charge reads, “That you, Mr. Kavlak Onal, on the 13th December, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, failed to make a declaration of the sum of $800,575 (Eight Hundred Thousand, Five Hundred United States Dollars) to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 3 (5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.
“That you, Mr. Kavlak Onal, on the 13th December, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court failed to make a declaration of the sum of €651,505 (Six hundred and fifty one, Five Hundred and Five Euro) to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 3 (5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.”
Kavlak Onal pleaded not guilty to both charges.
EFCC prosecutor Bilikisu Buhari told the court that Onal was intercepted during outward clearance and arrested by the anti-money laundering unit of the Nigeria Customs Service.
She asked the court to remand him in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) pending trial.
Onal’s lawyer, Sterlin Imhemuro, said a bail application had already been filed and served on the prosecution.
He requested that Onal be kept in EFCC custody while the bail request was considered.
The EFCC said it had received the bail application that morning and requested time to review it before responding.
After hearing the submissions, Justice Bogoro adjourned the case to January 16 for the bail hearing and ordered that Onal remain in NCoS custody until then.
KanyiDaily had also reported how Aisha Achimugu, the CEO of Felak Concept Group, was arrested by the EFCC at Abuja Airport.
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