Three Sokoto men caught spraying naira jailed

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Three persons identified as Ahmad Abdullahi Buhari, Jamilu Bello and Yasir Muhammad Bala have been sentenced to five years imprisonment each after they pleaded guilty to a five-count charge bordering on the offence of Naira Mutilation contrary to Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.

They were jailed on December 10, 2025, after pleading guilty before Justice Ahmad Mahmud of the Federal High Court Sokoto.

The were were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following their arrest for praying Naira notes at social events.

Count one reads: That you Jamilu Bello, adult, male on 7th July 2025 in Sokoto within the jurisdiction of this court whilst dancing at a birthday party at Fixon Restaurant Sokoto, tampered with the total sum of twenty thousand naira notes only (N20,000) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying the said sum and thereby committed an offence of mutilation contrary to Section 21(1) of the CBN Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21(3) of the same Act.

Another count reads: That you Yasir Muhammad Bala, male, adult, on 8th November 2025, in Sokoto within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court whilst dancing at a birthday party at Pip Zone hangout opposite Sama Road, tampered with the total sum of Forty Thousand Naira notes only (N40,000) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying the said sum and you thereby committed an offence to wit: mutilation contrary Section 21(1) of the CBN Act 2007 and punishable under Section 21(3) of the same Act.

The defendants plead guilty to all the charges, prompting prosecution counsel Dr. Aliyu Bokani Usman to ask the court to sentence the convicts accordingly.

Justice Ahmad sentenced Jamilu Bello to one year imprisonment on each of the two counts against him with an option of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000) fine on each count.

The judge equally sentenced Yasir Muhammad Bala to a one-year jail term with an option of N100,000 fine.

For Ahmad Abdullahi Buhari, the court sentenced him to a jail term of one year on each count with an option of N100,000 fine on each count.

Justice A.G Mahmud further directed that all the convicts must depose to an affidavit of good behaviour with the EFCC which will be signed by either of their parents or guardians.

Lastly, the judge also directed that all the convicts shall undertake community sensitization in any secondary school against the effects of cybercrime and other fraudulent offences within their community, which will be supervised by any designated EFCC officer.