The Kano Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, secured the conviction and sentence of social media influencer, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, before Justice Simone Amobeda of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano.
Kunya was arrested for allegedly spraying Naira notes for fun during her stay in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace in Kano. She was initially arrested in January 2025 for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN) Act, which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the Naira. She was granted administrative bail by the Commission pending her arraignment before the Federal High Court in Kano. However, when it was time for her court appearance, she absconded in her bid to evade the legal process.
However, after weeks of intensive investigation and surveillance, EFCC operatives successfully re-arrested the TikTok Influencer on Sunday March 16, 2025. She was subsequently arraigned on 20 May 2025 where she pleaded guilty to the one count amended charge.
The charge against Kunya reads: “You Murja Ibrahim Kunya on the 28th of December, 2023 at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court whilst dancing in one of the rooms at Tahir Guest Palace tampered with Naira notes issued by Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying and matching on same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007”.
Following her guilty plea, counsel for the prosecution, Musa Isah, reviewed the facts of the case and prayed the court to convict her accordingly.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Amobeda convicted Kunya and sentenced her to six months imprisonment with an option of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira only) fine.
In a significant and rehabilitative dimension to the sentencing, Justice Amobeda also issued a consequential order appointing her as an Ambassador of EFCC and CBN in online advocacy campaigns against Naira Abuse due to her substantial following across various social media platforms.
This order mandates Kunya to utilise her social media reach to educate her followers on the importance of respecting the Nigerian currency and the legal consequences of its abuse or mutilation.
