A popular Kano-based TikTok influencer and musician, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, has been sentenced to six months in prison for abusing the Nigerian currency. The Federal High Court in Kano delivered the judgment after she was found guilty of spraying and dancing on naira notes, a violation of Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.
Murja’s legal troubles began after a video of her partying at a hotel in Kano on December 28, 2023, surfaced online. In the viral clip, she was seen throwing naira notes in the air and stepping on them while dancing—acts deemed unlawful under Nigerian law. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched an investigation following the public outrage the video generated.Initially arrested in January 2025, Murja was granted administrative bail but later failed to appear in court, prompting the issuance of a bench warrant. She was eventually rearrested on March 16 and arraigned on May 20, 2025.
During her arraignment, she pleaded guilty to the charge.Justice Simon Amobeda, while delivering the sentence on May 28, gave her an option of a ₦50,000 fine in lieu of the prison term. The court also issued an unusual directive, mandating that she be engaged as a social media ambassador by the EFCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria to educate Nigerians on the consequences of abusing the naira and promote respect for the national currency.The ruling reflects the government’s ongoing effort to curb the misuse and defacing of the naira, especially among celebrities and social media influencers.
