Court jails 12 for Naira abuse in Warri
The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 12 individuals for abusing and mutilating the naira notes before Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State.
Head, Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, said the convicts are Abimbola Dolapo, Ufuoma Okotie, Samuel Kingsley, Rasaki Ayomide, Ekpmamuku Oghenekewvwe, Abraham Eriata, Favour Onowighose, Karaki Emmanuel Ejioghene, Simeon Sabastine, Valentine Chikeze, Omoyibo Destiny Prince and Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen.
*EFCC
Nkereuwem Effiong
The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 12 individuals for abusing and mutilating the naira notes before Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State.
Head, Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, said the convicts are Abimbola Dolapo, Ufuoma Okotie, Samuel Kingsley, Rasaki Ayomide, Ekpmamuku Oghenekewvwe, Abraham Eriata, Favour Onowighose, Karaki Emmanuel Ejioghene, Simeon Sabastine, Valentine Chikeze, Omoyibo Destiny Prince and Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen.
The statement added that the convicts were prosecuted for tampering with naira notes by spraying them while dancing at social events, an offence under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007.
One of the charges against Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen reads: “That you, Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen (M), on or about January 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while dancing at a birthday party, tampered with the sum of N20,000 (Twenty Thousand Naira) in N200 denominations issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying the same, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, and punishable under Section 21(1) of the same Act.”
Upon arraignment, all the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges. Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, Francis Jirbo, urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Counsel for the defendants, however, appealed for leniency, arguing that they were remorseful and had resolved to be law-abiding citizens.
Justice Nganjiwa convicted and sentenced Abimbola Dolapo, Ufuoma Okotie, Samuel Kingsley, Rasaki Ayomide, Ekpmamuku Oghenekewvwe, Abraham Eriata, Favour Onowighose, Karaki Emmanuel Ejioghene, Simeon Sabastine, Valentine Chikeze and Omoyibo Destiny Prince to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of N150,000 each.
Akenuwa Clinton Osamudiamen was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment or given the option of a N200,000 fine.
All 12 convicts also signed written undertakings to maintain good conduct.
In a related ruling delivered on Friday, July 17, 2026, Justice Nganjiwa ordered the forfeiture of seven luxury vehicles recovered by the EFCC from convicted internet fraudsters to the Federal Government.
The forfeited vehicles are a Mercedes-Benz GLK (registration number LSD 412 KJ), Lexus RX 330 (WWR 640 NG), Mercedes-Benz ML (TAB 211 DZ), Lexus ES 350 (KUJ 125 DB), Mercedes-Benz GLK (BDG 668 JT), Mercedes-Benz GLC (KSF 886 KM) and another Mercedes-Benz GLK (KSF 871 KM).
