by Akan Ido

Professor Ofoegbu Charles Ononuju was yesterday arrested by officers of the Nigerian Customs Service at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport for being in possession of $1.1m.

Ononuju who claimed to be a director of an oil firm in the country was said to be on his way to catch  a flight to Kenya when he was apprehended. When questioned, the suspect told the NCS officers that he was on his way to the East African country to settle a dispute with a Kenya community over oil blocks.

According to reports, the NCS Area Comptroller, Charles Epowei Edike said, “The passenger declared the currency both on forms CDF1A and CDF1B, but claimed he was travelling with Kenya Airways flight number QR542 to Kenya, to solve dispute with Kenya community over oil blocks.”

Edike said the passenger and the currency have been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.

Giving details of the agency’s 2012 reports, Edike announced that over $12.1 million was seized from 14 persons who tried to smuggle money out of the country in contravention of extant regulations in 2012.