Nigerians Demand Equal Application Of Law As Bobrisky Languishes In Prison For Naira Spraying

The recent conviction and sentencing of male crossdresser Idris ‘Bobrisky’ Okuneye to six months imprisonment for abusing the naira has sparked nationwide outrage and accusations of selective justice by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Bobrisky was charged with naira abuse after winning the Best Dressed Female award at a movie premiere on March 24 and subsequently “spraying” naira notes at the afterparty, a common practice among Nigerians.

The swift prosecution and sentencing of Bobrisky have left many Nigerians aghast, as it appears to validate claims that the anti-graft commission targets citizens who lack the financial means to defend themselves against government-backed repression. The CBN Act 2007, Section 21(3), states that spraying, dancing, or matching on the naira during social occasions constitutes an abuse and defacing of the currency, punishable by fines or imprisonment.

However, evidence compiled by Peoples Gazette reveals that several Nigerian elites have been caught committing the same crime without facing legal consequences. Minister of Arts and Culture, Hannatu Musanawa, was seen on video spraying new N1000 notes on a northern musician at the ministerial inauguration party last August. Abba Bichi, son of the SSS director general, was captured raining wads of naira notes on Regina Daniels, wife of Senator Ned Nwoko, at a nightclub during a period of naira scarcity. Regina Daniels herself was seen spraying and stepping on naira notes while celebrating her mother’s 47th birthday.

Grammy award-winning artiste Wizkid and his fellow celebrities lavishly sprayed naira notes at his mother’s funeral, with Wizkid and fuji maestro Wasiu Ayinde Marshal exchanging showers of currency. Business mogul Obi ‘Cubana’ Iyiegbu’s mother’s funeral in July 2021 saw an extravagant display of money-spraying, with his friend Cubana Chief Priest placing bundles of notes on Obi Cubana’s shoulders.

UK-Nigerian travel content creator Pelumi Nubi, who successfully drove from London to Lagos, was appointed as a tourism ambassador for Lagos state despite evidence of her spraying naira notes on musician Segun Johnson at a party.

The glaring disparity in the treatment of Bobrisky compared to the elites who have engaged in the same behavior has led to accusations of a two-tiered justice system. Critics argue that the law appears to only apply to those who cannot afford to put up a good fight against the government or hire competent lawyers to plead their defense.

As Bobrisky languishes in prison, Nigerians are calling for an end to the selective application of the law and demanding that all citizens, regardless of their social status or financial means, be held accountable for their actions.