Popular Hausa singer Hamisu Breaker and TikTok personality Abubakar Ibrahim, widely known as G Fresh, have been sentenced by the Federal High Court in Kano for abusing the Nigerian currency.
The duo was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on separate counts of Naira mutilation, a crime punishable under Nigerian law.
Justice Sale Musa Shuaibu, who presided over the proceedings, handed down a sentence of five months imprisonment or an option of ₦200,000 fine to each of the defendants after they pleaded guilty to the charges.
According to the EFCC, Hamisu Breaker was found guilty of spraying ₦200 notes amounting to about ₦30,000 during a social event held in Hadejia, Jigawa State. The act, which was captured on video and circulated widely on social media, prompted public outcry and drew the attention of the authorities.
In a similar incident, G Fresh was charged for spraying bundles of ₦1,000 notes at a shop opening ceremony in the Tarauni area of Kano State. His video too went viral on TikTok, leading to swift action by the anti-graft agency.
The EFCC has in recent months intensified its campaign against currency abuse, warning the public that spraying, mutilating, or dancing on naira notes in public gatherings constitutes an offence punishable by law.