Naira Abuse: Why We Did Not Arrest, Prosecute Politicians, Others – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said that it did not arrest and prosecute politicians and celebrities who abused the naira at social functions before February 7, 2024 when it launched the Special Task Force against Naira abuse.

It said that those that ran contrary to the law on Naira abuse before the launch of the commission’s Special Task Force on the abuse of the Naira cannot be held liable before the launch of the Task Force.

The clarification of the EFCC followed the controversy over the sentencing of crossdresser celebrity, Idris ‘Bobrisky’ Okuneye to six-month imprisonment without an option of fine for spraying the naira at a social event.

Many citizens had called the attention of the anti-graft agency to some Nigerian elites such as business mogul, Chief Obi Cubana, Minister of Arts, Hannatu Musawa, the wife of Senator Ned Nwoko, Regina Daniels among others that were captured on video spraying the naira at different social gatherings.

Non-prosecution of Musawa, Cubana, Regina Daniels who brazenly abused the naira at social occasions triggered accusations that Bobrisky was unfairly punished given that it took only a week for the EFCC to arrest, prosecute and get him sentenced by the court.

But, while responding to the criticisms of members of the public, the Head of the Media unit of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, said that only currency abusers from the time the Special Task Force Against Naira Abuse was established would be prosecuted, saying that it therefore implied that old videos captured at events before then would be disregarded.

According to Oyewale; “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 dollarisation of the economy commenced operations on February 7, 2024.

“However, going forward, new videos of such infractions will be investigated and prosecuted,” he said.

…Sourced from People’s Gazette