The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, has asked the EFCC to educate Nigerians about naira misuse before making arrests.
Oluwo emphasized the need for the EFCC to conduct extensive public enlightenment campaigns on naira abuse before resorting to arrests.
He highlighted the lack of awareness among many Nigerians regarding the actions that constitute naira abuse and urged the anti-graft agency to utilize the media for widespread education.
This call was made in a statement released by the Osun monarch’s Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, on Wednesday. The statement may be linked to the recent arrest and arraignment of Nigerian socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest.
Vanguard previously reported that Cubana Chief Priest was arraigned by the EFCC at the Federal High Court in Lagos before Justice Kehinde Ogundare. During the court proceedings, the socialite pleaded not guilty and was granted a N10 million bail. Oba Akanbi, while acknowledging the EFCC’s anti-corruption efforts, urged caution in arresting individuals for naira abuse.
He pointed out that the practice of spraying naira notes is prevalent among the Yoruba and Igbo communities, particularly during cultural events like weddings, naming ceremonies, and funerals.
The monarch emphasized that this behavior has become ingrained in the cultural practices of these tribes, with only a few exceptions.
The statement read,
“While commending the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for their efforts so far in recovering billion of stolen naira, I urge the commission to conduct comprehensive enlightenments for Nigerians on naira handlings.”
“The recent litigation by the EFCC against naira abuse is a misplaced priority. The practice of spraying money is more cultural to the Yorubas and Igbos,” Oluwo said.
“There is a cultural spirit in Yoruba that forces you to spend money uncontrollably at your exciting moment. I’m sure the spirit will be tamed when people have public knowledge of possible penalties for naira abuse. The commission should not place the cart before the horse.”
“EFCC should devise both print and electronic media to enlighten the public on those acts constituting naira abuse and spell out penalties. The public knowledge will unavoidably caution individuals and empower the commission to identify and punish arrogant naira abusers.”
The businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, was granted bail in the sum of N10m by the Federal High Court in Lagos State. He must provide two sureties who can match the bail amount.
During his trial, Cubana Chief Priest pleaded not guilty to charges of tampering and abusing the naira.
Justice Kehinde Ogundare arraigned Cubana Chief Priest on three counts related to the abuse of the naira. The charges stemmed from allegations that he sprayed and tampered with the nation’s currency at a social gathering.
The court stated that his actions violated the Central Bank Act of 2007.
Cubana Chief Priest was accused of spraying the naira on February 13, 2024, at Eko Hotel. The court mentioned that he committed the offenses while dancing at the event.
It was reported that the celebrity barman tampered with N500 notes issued by the CBN by spraying them for two hours.
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