Court Jails Man for Currency Trafficking in Abuja

Abuja, December 9, 2025

Justice R. N. Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, convicted and sentenced one Faisal Muhammad to six months’ imprisonment for hawking and selling Naira notes in Abuja.
Muhammad was arraigned by the Abuja Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, December 1, 2025, on a one-count charge bordering on the illegal hawking and sale of Nigerian currency.

The charge stated that Faisal Muhammad, sometime in July 2025 at A.Y.A, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, hawked the sum of N3,150,000 issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The monies were in denominations of N1,000, totaling N1,700,000, and N500, totaling N1,450,000, an offence contrary to Section 21(4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, and punishable under Section 21(1) of the same Act.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge. Following his plea, prosecuting counsel, Eunice Vou, tendered the defendant’s extra-judicial statement as well as the N1,000 and N500 notes recovered from him at the time of his arrest as exhibits.
In her judgment, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia convicted Muhammad based on his voluntary plea and admission of guilt. The court sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment with an option of a fine of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira only).

The judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found the defendant guilty as charged under Section 21(4) of the CBN Act, 2007.
Muhammad was arrested in July 2025 at A.Y.A, Abuja, while hawking and selling Naira notes amounting to N3,150,000, comprising N1,000 and N500 denominations.