Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State, has sentenced a man identified as Iziga Jude Ikechukwu, also known locally as “Easy‑money,” to one year in prison after he pleaded guilty to a criminal charge for mutilating Nigerian currency during his birthday celebration. The verdict, handed down on March 31, 2026, by Justice F. O. Giwa‑Ogunbanjo, followed a prosecution by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after a viral video of the incident circulated widely on social media.
The offence took place on February 22, 2026, at a hotel in Enugu‑Ezike where Ikechukwu was celebrating his birthday. In the video that sparked public outrage and subsequent investigation, he was seen recording himself dancing on and stamping Nigerian naira notes with apparent disregard. The amount involved in the act was N81,700 in naira notes, which are legal tender issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Following the circulation of the video online, EFCC operatives acted on actionable intelligence and arrested Ikechukwu on February 28, 2026, at his residence in the Timber Market area of Enugu‑Ezike. The operatives recovered the notes seen in the video at the time of arrest. Ikechukwu, a 24‑year‑old palm kernel dealer by profession, was subsequently charged to court and arraigned on March 26, 2026, on a one‑count charge bordering on mutilation of currency.
The charge read that on the specified date and at the specified location, he danced and marched on the sum of eighty‑one thousand, seven hundred naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria while celebrating his birthday, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007. The section of the law cited makes it an offence to intentionally mutilate, deface, or render unfit for further use any banknotes issued by the central bank.
In court, Ikechukwu pleaded guilty to the single count charge. In response to his plea, the court convicted him and sentenced him to one year imprisonment, with the sentence to run from the date of his arraignment. The judge also gave him an option to pay a fine of N300,000 instead of serving the custodial term. In addition to the sentence or fine, the court ordered that the N81,700 recovered from him be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria through the EFCC.
The prosecution highlighted that the act of mishandling and mutilating legal tender undermines the integrity and circulation of the nation’s currency, which is an offence under Nigerian law. The EFCC emphasised that intentional abuse of currency notes, even when done in private celebrations or captured humorously on social media, constitutes a punishable offence and that the law applies irrespective of the context or amount involved.
Public reaction to the case has been varied. Some members of the public questioned the severity of the sentence given the amount involved and the celebratory nature of the act, but legal experts reiterated that the law is clear on the prohibition of currency mutilation and that enforcement agencies are empowered to act decisively. They noted that social media evidence has increasingly become a trigger for investigations, as it provides clear visual documentation of offences.
For Ikechukwu, a moment meant for celebration transformed into a serious legal consequence. His arrest, prosecution, conviction, and sentencing serve as a reminder that Nigeria’s laws on currency use and preservation are being enforced, and that intent to disrespect or destroy legal tender can lead to significant penalties.
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