The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Sierra Leonean national, Ahmed Shaw, before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, for failing to declare $90,000 in cash at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
In a statement on Friday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale said Mr Shaw was arraigned on Thursday before a trial judge, Deinde Dipeolu, on one charge of money laundering.
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“The defendant was arrested on 3 March at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for non-declaration of the sum of $90,000,” the EFCC stated.
He was subsequently handed over to the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 on 5 March, for further investigation.
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EFCC alleged in the charge it subsequently filed against the defendant that his failure to make a declaration of $90,000 he came into Nigeria with to the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on 3 March, constituted an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3(5) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The law mandates that transportation of cash or negotiable instruments in excess of US$10,000 or its equivalent by individuals in or out of Nigeria shall be declared to the Nigerian Customs Service.
Section 3(5) of the law prescribes, upon conviction, a penalty of forfeiture of the undeclared funds or negotiable instrument or to imprisonment for a term of at least two years or both for any person who falsely declares or fails to make a declaration to the Nigerian Customs Service.
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Meanwhile, Mr Shaw pleaded not guilty to the charge.
After the defendant’s plea, EFCC counsel C.C. Okezie requested a trial date and the defendant’s remand.
Mr Dipeolu granted the request and remanded Mr Shaw at a Correctional Centre.
The judge then adjourned the case until 15 April for commencement of trial.
Previous arrests
Mr Shaw’s case is not the first involving undeclared foreign currency at Nigerian airports in recent time.
In March 2025, the EFCC began investigating Okorie Sunday, who was apprehended by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the same Lagos airport for false currency declaration.
Mr Sunday, who arrived from Johannesburg, South Africa, on 19 March, declared $279,000 at the Currency Declaration Desk.
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However, further searches revealed an additional $299,000 concealed in various packages, bringing the total to $578,000.
NCS also found €100 and counterfeit $250 bills among his belongings.
According to EFCC’s spokesperson Mr Oyewale, the anti-corruption agency took over Mr Sunday’s case on 21 March after the NCS Area Comptroller at the airport formally handed over the suspect.
Conviction
On 26 March, after the EFCC arraigned Mr Sunday, trial judge Mr Dipeolu sentenced him to six months imprisonment for failure to declare the money.
The judge further ordered that Mr Sunday’s money be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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