Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 10 persons for abusing the naira through illegal spraying of the currency at social events.
The convicts were sentenced by Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, and Justice (Prof.) C. A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Benin City, Edo State.
A statement issued by the EFCC identified the convicts as Lucky Onoberhie, Happy Joseph Isioma, Friday Ehiedu, Collins Ndudi Albert, Okorie Builder, Ernest Achieme, Isicheli Desmond Chijioke, Nwosu Davison, Enadegh Agbonmware and Lucky Osaro.
The anti-graft agency said the convicts were prosecuted for tampering with the naira by spraying the currency while dancing at parties, an offence punishable under Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007.
The charge against one of the convicts, Ernest Achieme, stated that he sprayed N50,000 in N200 denominations at a wedding ceremony in Kwale, Delta State, on Dec. 31, 2025.
The offence, according to the EFCC, contravened the provisions of the CBN Act, which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of Nigeria’s legal tender.
Upon arraignment, all the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, K. W. Chukwuma-Eneh, urged the courts to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Olubanjo subsequently convicted eight of the defendants — Onoberhie, Isioma, Ehiedu, Ndudi, Builder, Achieme, Chijioke and Davison — and sentenced each to 12 months imprisonment or a fine of N100,000.
Similarly, Justice Obiozor sentenced Agbonmware and Osaro to six months imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 each for spraying the naira.
The EFCC said all the convicts also signed undertakings to maintain good conduct going forward.
The commission reiterated that the arrests and prosecution formed part of ongoing efforts to enforce laws against the abuse of the naira and protect the integrity of Nigeria’s currency.
