Court Convicts Social Media Influencer Murja Kunya For Naira Abuse In Kano

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano State Directorate, has secured the conviction of popular social media influencer Murja Ibrahim Kunya for violating the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act through the abuse of naira notes.

Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano delivered the judgment on Wednesday, sentencing Kunya to six months imprisonment with an option of ₦50,000 fine.

Kunya, known for her controversial presence on TikTok, was first arrested in January 2025 after a video surfaced showing her spraying and stepping on naira notes while dancing in a hotel room at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano. The act was deemed a violation of Section 21(1) of the CBN Act, 2007, which prohibits the abuse or defacement of Nigeria’s legal tender.

Although she was initially granted administrative bail, Kunya absconded when she was due to appear in court. Following weeks of surveillance, EFCC operatives re-arrested her on March 16, 2025. She was subsequently arraigned on May 20, where she pleaded guilty to a one-count amended charge.

The charge read:

“You, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, on the 28th of December, 2023, at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst dancing in one of the rooms at Tahir Guest Palace, tampered with naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying and matching on same on the said occasion, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.”

EFCC counsel Musa Isah presented the facts of the case and urged the court to convict the defendant, citing the clear evidence and her admission of guilt.

In addition to the conviction and sentence, Justice Amobeda issued a consequential order appointing Kunya as an ambassador for the EFCC and the CBN in their online advocacy campaigns against naira abuse.

The court directed her to leverage her substantial social media following to educate the public on the importance of respecting Nigeria’s currency and the legal implications of its abuse.