Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced a man identified as Okoli Frank Emeka to six months in prison for defacing Nigerian currency during a social event in the Isheri-Olofin area of Alimosho Local Government.
The Federal High Court handed down the sentence after Emeka was found guilty of stepping on and spraying Naira notes—an act that violates the Central Bank Act of 2007. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed the conviction in a statement released on Friday, noting that Emeka was arraigned by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 on a single count of currency abuse.
The sentencing followed an official statement released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, confirming that Emeka was arraigned by its Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 for violating the Central Bank Act of 2007, which criminalizes any form of abuse or defacing of the Naira.
According to the EFCC, Emeka was captured on video in August 2024 spraying and stepping on bundles of Naira notes, an act considered illegal under Nigerian financial regulations. The video, which later went viral on social media, prompted public outrage and triggered an investigation by the EFCC.
PUNCH Online reported that the total amount of defaced currency amounted to two million Naira. The EFCC promptly launched a probe and later charged Emeka with a single count of currency abuse. The official charge read in court stated:
Court Warns Against Naira Abuse at Public Events
“That you,Okoli Frank Emeka, on the 18th day of August, 2024, at Al-Moruf Garden, Isheri Olofin, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst stepping on the Naira notes during a social occasion, tampered with the sum of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, by stepping on the same at the said occasion, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”
When arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, Emeka pleaded guilty to the charge. Following his plea, the prosecution, represented by counsel Z.B. Atiku, presented the case through EFCC investigator Sa’id Sada Sani.
Sani explained to the court that Emeka was arrested on May 15, 2025, following intelligence-led surveillance after the video surfaced. “He was shown the video evidence, confirmed his identity in the footage, and made a voluntary statement admitting to the offense,” said Sani.
The court admitted both the viral video and the defendant’s confession as exhibits. Atiku then urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant in line with the provisions of the law to serve as a deterrent to others.
Justice Aneke, in delivering his ruling, found Emeka guilty as charged and handed down a six-month custodial sentence. However, the court provided an option of a N250,000 fine in lieu of imprisonment, in accordance with sentencing discretion provided under the Central Bank Act.
The EFCC took the opportunity to reaffirm its zero-tolerance policy toward financial misconduct and urged the public to treat the national currency with respect. The agency warned that acts such as spraying, stepping on, or mutilating Naira notes during public celebrations would not be tolerated.
The case highlights the increasing use of digital evidence—including video footage sourced from social media platforms—in prosecuting financial crimes. It also underscores the growing vigilance of Nigerian authorities in cracking down on currency abuse, which has become a widespread phenomenon at weddings, parties, and other social gatherings.
As the country continues its economic reforms and tightens regulations around monetary discipline, law enforcement bodies like the EFCC are intensifying efforts to educate the public and enforce the law. The public has also been encouraged to report incidents of currency abuse to nearby police stations or directly to the EFCC through available hotlines.
The court’s ruling serves as a warning to individuals who may view currency abuse as a harmless tradition. The message is clear: the Naira is a national symbol and legal tender that must be treated with dignity and protected from defacement.
Source- Punch