A Federal High Court in Kano has sentenced popular TikTok influencer Murja Ibrahim Kunya to six months in prison for abusing the Nigerian naira.
Justice Simon Amobeda gave the judgment on Wednesday, following Kunya’s guilty plea. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested her for spraying and stepping on naira notes while dancing in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace in Kano on December 28, 2023.
The court said Kunya violated Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, which makes it a crime to abuse or mutilate the naira.
“You, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, tampered with naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying and matching on them… and you thereby committed an offence,” the charge read.
Kunya was first arrested in January 2025 and granted bail, but she later went into hiding to avoid facing trial. EFCC agents tracked her down and re-arrested her on March 16, 2025. She was arraigned on May 20 and pleaded guilty to the amended charge.
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Prosecuting lawyer Musa Isah asked the court to convict her based on her confession and the evidence.
Justice Amobeda then sentenced her to six months in prison but gave her the option to pay a ₦50,000 fine instead.
The judge also made a unique order by appointing Kunya as an ambassador for both the EFCC and the CBN. She must now use her large online following to educate Nigerians about the dangers and legal consequences of abusing the naira.
As part of her new role, she will lead online campaigns against naira abuse and help raise public awareness.
The EFCC said the judgment shows that abusing the naira is a serious offence and that the law will take its course, no matter the person involved.