A make-up artist in Kano has been sentenced to six months in jail for abusing the naira, by flinging (spraying) it while dancing at his wedding celebration last December.
Abdullahi Musa Huseini, popularly known as “Amuscap” on social media, was sentenced by a High Court in Kano, minutes after pleading guilty to the charge.
Flinging or “spraying” of naira is often done at weddings and other celebrations to show a person’s support and as an expression of joy.
You may recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been waging a campaign against spraying naira, saying it shows disrespect for the currency.
Amuscap is the latest to be imprisoned for violating the 2007 Central Bank of Nigeria Act.
According to the act, “spraying of, dancing or [marching] on the naira” is an offence, with the punishment being no less than six months in prison or a 50,000 naira fine or both.
The EFCC said Amuscap while dancing during the wedding celebration “tampered” with 100,000 naira by spraying the notes.
Last year Bobrisky, a transgender woman and actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin spent six months in prison after being convicted of the same offence in separate cases.
Some social media users have reacted with outrage to the make-up artist’s sentencing, saying the punishment is too harsh.
One pointed out the hypocrisy of allowing those alleged to have siphoned off the nation’s wealth to go unpunished yet jailing a man for “spraying his own money”.