Court Jails Man For Using Nigerian Coins To Make Jewelry For Over 25 Years

A man, Ibrahim Musa Dabai arrested for using Nigerian coins to make jewelry for commercial purposes has been convicted and sentenced to 3 months imprisonment.

Ibrahim who was convicted by Justice M.N Yunusa of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano, Kano State, was, however, given a fine of N30,000.

His conviction was secured by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was convicted on one count charge bordering on tampering with Nigerian currency.

A statement issued by EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said Ibrahim was arrested by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA along the Abuja- Kaduna Expressway with coins which he claims he uses to produce jewelry for commercial purposes.

According to Uwujaren, Ibrahim was subsequently handed over to the EFCC for further investigation.

He added that the convict during the course of the investigation stated that he has been in the business of converting coins into jewelry ranging from rings, earrings, bracelets, and others, for 25 years.

The charge reads, “that you, Ibrahim Musa Dabai sometime in March 2023 at Kano, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, voluntarily engaged in tampering with Nigerian currency to wit: coins issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria when you used the same to produce jewelry for commercial purpose and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007”. 

The EFCC statement reads, “He pleaded guilty to the charge. The prosecution counsel, N. Salele urged the court to convict the defendant accordingly. 

“Justice Yunusa, convicted and sentenced the defendant to 3 months imprisonment or a fine of N 30,000. 

“In addition, the mutilated currency is to be returned to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN for destruction according to the provisions of the CBN Act, 2007.”

Naira coins are no longer in circulation in Nigeria due to their diminished value and inflation.

CBN last issued new coins in 2007 with N2 being the highest naira denomination in coin. That year, ₦1 and 50 kobo, which were coined in 1991, were reissued in new designs.

₦1, 50 kobo, 25 kobo, 10 kobo, and 1 kobo coins were introduced in 1991 while 1/2 kobo and 5 kobo coins were phased out in that year.

1 kobo, 10, kobo, and 25 kobo coins were discontinued in 2007.

In other news, Kanyi Daily reported that President Muhammadu Buhari has unveiled the N19.6 billion ultra-modern new headquarters of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in Abuja.