Court covicts Tiktoker of naira abuse

The Federal High Court in Kaduna, Kaduna State, has convicted a social media content creator, Muhammad Kabir, of naira abuse and mutilation.

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According to a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, trial judge Rilwanu Aikawa sentenced Mr Sa’ad, a Tiktoker, to six months imprisonment, but with an option of N300,000 fine.

The statement said the judge passed the sentence after the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of naira abuse preferred against him by the anti-graft agency.

The prosecution said the offence violated Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, and punishable under Section 21(1) of the same Act.

Section 21(3) of the Act criminalises the spraying, dancing or matching of the naira notes, while section 21(1), which is the penalty provision, prescribes not less six months imprisonment or a fine not less than N50,000 or both fine and imprisonment for anyone found guilty of the offence.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that EFCC arrested Mr Sa’ad sometime this year after he uploaded a video clip via his TikTok handle and Instagram account @youngcee0066 showing him throwing naira notes on the floor and stepping on them.

Mr Sa’ad, speaking in Hausa in the video clip, was said to have challenged EFCC officers to arrest him if they could.

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EFCC said its operatives in Kaduna traced the social media content creator and picked him up at Tudun Wada, Kaduna State, for questioning.

The agency said in its statement on Thursday that Mr Sa’ad pleaded guilty to the naira abuse charge read to him.

Thereafter, EFCC’s counsel, M.U Gadaka, urged the court to convict and sentence him.

The judge then affirmed his guilt and sentenced him to six months in jail but with the option to pay a fine of N300,000.

EFCC secures the conviction of others for naira abuse

This is not the first time the EFCC has secured the conviction of offenders for naira abuse.

A notable case is that of crossdresser Bobrisky, who was arrested, following a viral video clip showing him spraying and flaunting wads of new naira notes on 24 March 2024 at the premiere of a movie, ‘Ajakaju’.

He was subsequently jailed for six months after his arraignment before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

On 8 May, two persons, Babatunde Peter and Tobilola Olamide, received a six-month sentence for naira mutilation.