Court orders forfeiture of U.S.-bound traveller’s undeclared $20,000 to FG

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, ordered the forfeiture of $20,000 confiscated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) from a United States-bound traveller, Olusola Okunfulure, to the Federal Government.

Okunfulure was arrested by the NCS officials on March 28, 2025, during the inward clearance of passengers on a flight to the U.S. via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, following his failure to declare the money.

Justice Dehinde Dipeolu gave the forfeiture order during Okunfulure’s prosecution for the offence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC, through its counsel, Chineye Okezie, who led Felicia Paul in evidence, filed a one-count charge against the defendant.

Okunfulure pleaded guilty to the charge, but following his plea, the defence counsel,
Joel Ogundire, made an allocutus on Okunfulure’s behalf, praying the court to temper justice with mercy and for part of the money to be returned to the defendant.

Ogundire said, “He has been a family man for more than 15 years. His bank account clearly shows that he is into a legitimate business. He was shown the declaration form after he was cleared.

“We are not averse to forfeiting $20,000 out of the $30,000 as stipulated by law.”

Reviewing the case, the judge invited the EFCC to present its evidence against the defendant.

Paul, while presenting the EFCC’s findings, said: “I know the defendant. On March 28, men of the Nigeria Customs Service arrested the defendant at Murtala Muhammed International Airport on his way to America.

He was arrested with $30,000, which he failed to declare. He was handed over to the Commission with the sum of $30,000.

Upholding the EFCC’s case, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Okunfulure to three months imprisonment.

The judge returned $10,000 to the defendant, saying: “I have considered the plea of
the convict and the fact that he did not waste the time of the court as well as all the mitigating factors, I hereby order the convict to forfeit the sum of $20,000 to the Federal Government of Nigeria and for his imprisonment for three months.”