KANO – Social media influencer Murja Ibrahim Kunya has been sentenced to six months in prison for abusing the Nigerian currency, the Naira. The sentence was handed down on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, by Justice Simone Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano, following her conviction secured by the Kano Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Kunya was arrested for spraying and trampling on Naira notes while dancing in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, on December 28, 2023—an act which contravenes Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007. Initially apprehended in January 2025, she was granted administrative bail but failed to appear for her scheduled court hearing, prompting a manhunt.
After weeks of investigation, EFCC operatives re-arrested Kunya on March 16, 2025. She was arraigned on May 20, 2025, and pleaded guilty to the amended one-count charge.
Prosecution counsel Musa Isah urged the court to convict her in light of her plea and the evidence presented. In delivering judgment, Justice Amobeda sentenced Kunya to six months imprisonment with an option of a ₦50,000 fine.
In an additional rehabilitative measure, the court also appointed Kunya as an ambassador for the EFCC and CBN to use her social media platforms to raise awareness about the legal implications of Naira abuse and promote respect for the national currency.
