Justice S.M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kano, Kano State, has convicted and sentenced TikToker Abubakar Ibrahim (also known as ‘G-Fresh’) and musician Hamisu Sa’id (known as Hamisu Breaker) for abusing the Nigerian currency.
According to a statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the two were sentenced following their arraignment by the Kano Zonal Directorate of the EFCC on separate one-count charges relating to the abuse of Naira notes, in violation of Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007.
The charge against Abubakar Ibrahim states:
“That you, Abubakar Ibrahim, sometime in November 2024, at Rahma Sa’idu Shop in Tarauni Local Government Area of Kano State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while dancing, sprayed and matched on ₦14,000 (Fourteen Thousand Naira) worth of 1000 Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 21(1) of the CBN Act, 2007.”
The charge against Hamisu Sa’id reads:
“That you, Hamisu Sa’id Yusuf, sometime in November 2024, at Hadejia, Jigawa State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while dancing during a social occasion, tampered with ₦30,000 (Thirty Thousand Naira) in ₦200 denomination notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying the currency at the event, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 21(1) of the CBN Act, 2007.”
Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Based on their pleas and the evidence presented by EFCC counsel Zarami Mohammed, Justice Shuaibu found them guilty as charged and sentenced each to five months imprisonment, with an option to pay a fine of ₦200,000.
Their legal troubles began after they were caught spraying Naira notes during public events, an act considered illegal under Nigerian law, leading to their prosecution and sentencing.
