A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has sentenced social media influencer, Murja Ibrahim Kunya popularly called Murja Kunja over naira abuse.
Justice Simone Amobeda handed down the sentence on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, after pleading guilty to marching and spraying of the naira.
The Kano Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction following weeks of intensive investigation and surveillance.
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Kunya was arrested for allegedly spraying Naira notes for fun during her stay in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace in Kano.
She was initially arrested in January 2025 for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Act which prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the Naira.
She was granted an administrative bail by the Commission pending her arraignment before the Federal High Court in Kano. However, when it was time for her court appearance, she absconded in her bid to evade the legal processes.
However, after weeks of intensive investigation and surveillance, EFCC operatives successfully re-arrested the TikTok Influencer on Sunday March 16, 2025. She was subsequently arraigned on 20 May 2025 where she pleaded guilty to the one count amended charge.
The charge against Kunya reads: “You Murja Ibrahim Kunya on the 28th of December, 2023 at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court whilst dancing in one of the rooms at Tahir Guest Palace tampered with Naira notes issued by Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying and matching on same in the said occasion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007”.
Following her guilty plea, counsel for the prosecution, Musa Isah reviewed the facts of the case and prayed the court to convict her accordingly.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Amobeda convicted Kunya and sentenced her to six months imprisonment with an option of N50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira only) fine.
In a significant and rehabilitative dimension to the sentencing, Justice Amobeda also issued a consequential order appointing her as an Ambassador of EFCC and CBN in online advocacy campaigns against Naira Abuse due to her substantial following across various social media platforms.
This order mandates Kunya to utilize her social media reach to educate her followers on the importance of respecting the Nigerian currency and the legal consequences of its abuse or mutilation.
This is coming barely two weeks after the anti-graft agency secured the conviction and sentencing of two TikTokers, Babatunde Peter Olaitan and Tobilola Olamide, to six months’ imprisonment each for abusing the Naira.
The duo was sentenced by Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on May 8, 2025.
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Olaitan, also known as Tee Dollar and Olamide, popularly known as TobiNation, were arrested by EFCC operatives for spraying Naira notes at a social event on April 8, 2025.
According to EFCC: “The charge against Olaitan reads: “That you, BABATUNDE PETER OLAITAN, on 8th April 2025, at 23, Macdonald Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N200 (Two Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying it, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”