EFCC Arraign Man For Failing To Declare Over $1.9 Million At Lagos Airport

EFCC-300x195One Mr. Ani Onyeka was on Thursday docked at a Federal High Court in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for failing to declare $1.9 million to officials of the Nigerian Customs Service on arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

The Head, Media & Publicity of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement yesterday, said Mr. Onyeka was alleged to have failed to declare the amount as required by law, upon his arrival at the airport from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said Mr. Onyeka was arraigned on a two count charge.

One of the counts read: “That you Ani Paulinus Onyeka on or about the 10th of February 2014 at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos within the Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court while transporting in cash the sum of $1,909,140 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Forty US Dollars) from the Republic of Congo to Nigeria, failed to declare the sum of $1,909,140 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Forty US Dollars) to the Nigeria Customs Service as required under Section 12 of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act cap F34 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 2(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Provision) Act) 2011 as amended in 2012”.

The accused took the not guilty plea when it was read to him.