What started as a bid for online clout has landed two young Nigerians — Bukola Arike Rufai and Abdulateef Ayinde Jimoh — in serious legal trouble. The duo, both social media influencers, were convicted by Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court in Ibadan for abusing Nigeria’s national currency, the Naira.
Their offence? A TikTok video that went viral — but for all the wrong reasons.
In the now-infamous clip, Bukola and Abdulateef were seen spraying and trampling on Naira notes during what appeared to be a celebratory event. Unbeknownst to them, their bid to go viral caught the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which swiftly moved in to arrest and prosecute them.
They were arraigned on a one-count charge of currency mutilation — a serious offence under Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act of 2007. According to the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, both defendants pleaded guilty during their court appearance.
Prosecution counsel Lanre Suleiman reviewed the facts, tendered the evidence — including the video — and asked the court for a conviction. The defence lawyer, O.D. Ajadi, pleaded for leniency, pointing out that the influencers were first-time offenders who had shown remorse.
Justice Agomoh, while acknowledging their guilty plea and apparent remorse, convicted the pair without imposing a custodial sentence. Instead, each was given the option to pay a fine of ₦50,000.
This ruling, while lenient in punishment, sends a strong message about the sanctity of Nigeria’s currency and the dangers of chasing social media fame without understanding the consequences.
For many young Nigerians watching, the case is a wake-up call: in a country where the law takes currency abuse seriously, the search for likes and follows should never come at the expense of national pride — or personal freedom.
