The Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has convicted 12 individuals for offences involving the abuse and mutilation of the Nigerian currency.
Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa delivered the judgment after the defendants were prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to the EFCC, the individuals were arrested for spraying, trampling on, and otherwise abusing naira notes during social events, actions that violate the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, which prohibits the mutilation and abuse of the country’s legal tender.
The anti-graft agency said all the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them.
Following the guilty pleas, the prosecution urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants in line with the law, while defence counsel appealed for leniency and asked the court to temper justice with mercy.
Justice Nganjiwa subsequently convicted all 12 defendants and imposed penalties in accordance with the relevant provisions of the law.
The EFCC has intensified its campaign against the abuse of the naira in recent months, warning Nigerians against practices such as spraying, stamping on, tearing, defacing, or mishandling the national currency during ceremonies and public events.
The commission said the enforcement drive is aimed at protecting the integrity and value of the naira, stressing that offenders risk prosecution, fines, or imprisonment upon conviction.
The Warri convictions add to the growing number of successful prosecutions recorded by the EFCC as it continues enforcing provisions of the CBN Act relating to naira abuse and mutilation.
