The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has disclosed that it is currently probing many celebrities and will soon be prosecuted for naira abuse.
EFCC made this disclosure in a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Sunday, days after securing the conviction of controversial crossdresser, Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky, jailed for the same crime on Friday.
It assured that no one found culpable will be spared, saying, it, “will not relent in its no-sacred-cow mode of operations, and the public should be wary of running afoul of laws against the crime.”
Since the arrest of Bobrisky, earlier in April, many Nigerians have shared some videos clips on social media platforms capturing apparently worse cases of naira abuse by other celebrities while tagging EFCC
The anti-graft agency acknowledged a surge in the sharing of old and new video clips of such naira abuse in the statement.
It explained that some celebrities, whose identities it did not mention, had been invited for investigations and made useful statements.
“Increasingly, members of the public are drawing the attention of the Commission to video recording of abuse of the Naira by Nigerians from all walks of life,” the statement said.
“These gestures amply demonstrate rising consciousness of the public to the sanctity of our national currency and the need for collaborative engagement to sustain the tempo.
“To this end, the Commission will always investigate and prosecute anyone involved in the abuse of the Naira. Old videos being exhumed and flying around for the attention of the Commission are noted as the Commission is sensitive to the fact that its Special Task Force against Naira Abuse and Dollarization of the economy commenced operations on February 7, 2024. However, going forward, new videos of such infractions will be investigated and prosecuted.
“At the moment, the Commission is investigating several celebrities involved in Naira abuse. Many of them have made useful statements to the Commission and many more have been invited by investigators working on the matter,” it added.
The Federal High Court in Lagos, on Friday, sentenced Bobrisky to six months in jail without an option of fine for naira abuse.
The judge, Abimbola Awogboro, imposed the sentence after the controversial crossdresser pleaded guilty to the alleged offences.
This followed his earlier arrest by the EFCC.
The 31-year-old had caught the attention of EFCC after a viral video clip showed her spraying and flaunting wads of new naira notes at the premiere of a movie, ‘Ajakaju’, on 24 March.
The movie was produced by a popular Nollywood actress and producer, Rniola Ajao at Film One Circle Mall, Lekki, Lagos.
The commission, on 4 April, announced that it detained Bobrisky for abuse of naira during the movie premiere and previous social events.
The commission said it held the controversial social media celebrity at its zonal office in Lagos after he honoured an invitation for interrogation.
EFCC subsequently arraigned him on April 5 at the Federal High Court in Lagos where he pleaded guilty to four charges preferred against him.
After Bobrisky pled to the charges, the judge convicted him and adjourned for sentencing.
The judge, Mr Awogboro, subsequently sentenced Bobrisky on Friday.
He said Bobrisky’s sentence would serve as a lesson for others intending to continue abusing the Naira.
“The act of mutilating the Naira notes has become a menace, which has continued to damage the country’s image.
“Enough of people mutilating and tampering with our currencies. It has to stop. His will serve as a deterrent to others,” the judge said.
Before the judge sentenced Bobrisky, he inquired about the crossdresser’s gender, to which he responded that he was identified as a man.
Also, earlier in February 2024, the Federal High Court in Lagos had convicted an actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, of spraying and stepping on new naira notes at a wedding in Lagos.
Ms Omoseyin was arrested on February 1, following the viral circulation of a video clip showing her spraying new Naira notes at a wedding in Lekki, Lagos State, on 28 January.
On 2 February, the trial judge, Chukwujekwu Aneke, sentenced Ms Omoseyin to six months imprisonment, but with the option of a N300,000 fine.
EFCC declared on Sunday that there has been a public awakening about abuse of naira, apparently referring to the surge in the attention Nigerians have paid to it after the arrest of Bobrisky.
“On the issue of the works of the Commission against Naira abuse, dollarization of the economy and the enforcement of all extant laws relating to them, the EFCC appreciates the avalanche of public awakening, support and involvement demonstrated so far,” the commission’s statement said on Sunday.
