The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Office, has secured the conviction of popular TikTok influencer, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, for the abuse of the Nigerian currency.
Justice Simone Amobeda of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano delivered the judgment on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, sentencing Kunya to six months imprisonment with an option of a N50,000 fine.
Kunya was first arrested in January 2025 after a viral video showed her spraying and stepping on Naira notes during a party at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, an act that contravenes Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007. Despite being granted administrative bail, she absconded and failed to appear in court, prompting a fresh manhunt.
She was re-arrested on March 16, 2025, and arraigned on May 20, 2025, where she pleaded guilty to a one-count amended charge.
Following her guilty plea, prosecution counsel Musa Isah reviewed the facts and urged the court to convict her. Justice Amobeda, in his judgment, not only delivered the sentence but also made a consequential order appointing Murja Kunya as a social media ambassador for both the EFCC and CBN.
The court directed that Kunya must leverage her substantial online following to campaign against the abuse and mutilation of the Naira, educating the public on the significance of preserving the integrity of Nigeria’s legal tender.
This judgment is part of EFCC’s broader efforts to enforce laws protecting the Naira and curbing social media trends that promote its misuse.
