The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced one Igboezue Emeka to one month in prison for failing to declare $40,000 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Justice A.O. Owoeye delivered the ruling on Friday after Emeka pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to EFCC, Emeka was arrested on February 12, 2025, by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Seoul, South Korea.
He had failed to declare the cash found hidden in one of his shoes inside his hand luggage.
According to EFCC operative Michael Olayemi, the agency received intelligence from the NCS that led to Emeka’s arrest.
“He initially denied carrying any cash but a search revealed the money concealed in his belongings,” Olayemi told the court.
The EFCC tendered Emeka’s voluntary statement and seized cash as evidence. The court admitted the exhibits and found him guilty.
Owoeye sentenced Emeka to one-month imprisonment, effective from the day of his arrest, February 12, 2025.
