Two social media influencers, Bukola Arike Rufai and Abdulateef Ayinde Jimoh, have been convicted by the Federal High Court in Ibadan for abusing the Nigerian currency.
The conviction followed a viral video in which the duo were seen spraying and stepping on naira notes at a social gathering, an act considered illegal under Nigerian law.
Justice Uche Agomoh presided over the case and found both defendants guilty of a one-count charge of currency abuse. The offence contravenes Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, which prohibits the defacement and improper handling of the national currency. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, prosecuted the case through its Ibadan Zonal Directorate.
During the court proceedings, EFCC counsel Lanre Suleiman presented evidence against the defendants. The defence counsel, O.D. Ajadi, pleaded for leniency, describing the influencers as remorseful and first-time offenders. In consideration of this plea, Justice Agomoh opted not to impose a custodial sentence but instead fined each of them ₦50,000.
The EFCC had arrested Rufai and Jimoh after a video circulated on social media showing them throwing naira notes into the air and stepping on them during a celebration. The incident drew public attention and prompted swift action by the anti-graft agency as part of its ongoing campaign against naira abuse.
The conviction adds to a growing list of similar cases in which individuals have been penalised for defacing or mishandling the Nigerian currency, underscoring the government’s resolve to uphold the integrity of the naira and discourage such acts, especially by public figures with large online followings.
