Spräying Naira: Nigerians Läment EFCC’s Doublë Ständard As Agency Offërs 5 Percent To Whistlëblower

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has promised Nigerians five percent if they report anybody spraying the naira.

The agency’s spokesman Dele Oyewale made this known when he appeared on a radio programme on Monday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

He explained that the commission is poised more than ever to enforce the law and protect the economy from the negative impacts of naira abuse.

The commission recently secured the conviction of cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Brobrisky for spraying the currency at a social event.

The socialite was convicted by the court which sentenced him to six months in prison for committing the crime.

According to the Oyewolem who stated that rejecting the naira as a medium of exchange is a crime, the EFCC has secured 50 convictions of those who misuse or abuse the currency across the country.

He said: “There’s a reward if you report anyone spraying the Naira. That is whistleblowing. The whistleblowing act offers 5% reward of whatever amount that is involved to whoever offers credible information that can stand the rigour of prosecution and not derived from malice and mischief.

“It is a crime to reject the naira. If there’s nothing wrong with the naira, maybe it’s dirty and not mint, and you reject it; it is a crime.

“The naira is the symbol of our economy. We are a sovereign nation, with our own territorial integrity, so, whatever is within the ambit of our economy and every transaction in Nigeria must be done in naira.”

Not a few Nigerians have, however, described the EFCC war against naira abuse as selective. According to those who hold this view, the commission has failed to arrest and prosecute the high and mighty in the country who spray naira indiscriminately at social events, because of their social status.

For instance, a traditional ruler in Ogun state, Olu of Owode, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo who had been widely criticized by not a few Nigerians for abusing the naira while spraying popular fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1 at a party, has yet to be arrested by the EFCC, some contend.

The video of the event went viral in February this year, but Nigerians have not stopped lambasting Oba Somemimo for bringing the traditional institution into disrepute.

Oba Sowemimo has since been suspended by the state government.