Influencers Fined for Naira Abuse After Viral TikTok Video
Enet
Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has sentenced two social media influencers, Bukola Rufai and Abdulateef Jimoh, for misusing naira notes. The announcement was made in a statement from Dele Oyewale, the Head of Media and Publicity, on Wednesday.
The statement explained that the two faced a joint one-count charge from the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. They were accused of damaging currency notes.
The charge stated, "That Bukola Rufai and Abdulateef Jimoh, on or around September 25, 2024, within this court’s jurisdiction, did damage naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, committing an offense under Section 21 (3) of the Central Bank Act 2007. This violation is punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same law."
Both admitted to the charges. After their guilty plea, the prosecution, led by Lanre Suleiman, presented evidence and asked the court to convict and punish them. Their lawyer, O.D. Ajadi, asked for mercy, pointing out that they are first offenders and now regret their actions.
Justice Agomoh did not give a prison sentence but fined each of them N50,000. She also did not lay out a harsh punishment.
The case started after the duo posted a video on TikTok, showing themselves spraying and stomping on naira notes. Their actions led to their arrest and trial.
