President Bola Tinubu has been accused of abusing the naira at an event, following the arrest of personalities by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission.
In a viral video, Tinubu was seen dancing while being serenaded by Nigerian musician, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as k1 the ultimate, at the 80th birthday celebration of Rasak Okoya, a billionaire industrialist and the Aare of Lagos.
Accompanied by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other notable personalities on the dancefloor, Tinubu reached out to his entourage and collected huge bundles of cash and handed it over to the singer.
The video originally captured by Ovation TV four years ago, was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore on April 12, 2024, shortly after crossdresser, Idris Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky was arrested and sentenced to 6 months in prison.
Sowore alleged that Tinubu abused the naira and called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate the President.
Captioning the video, he wrote, “This @officialABAT abusing the naira at a party, spraying Wasiu Ayinde @k1theultimate, I hope @officialEFCC will prosecute him for this crime someday the same way @BobriskyIdris was prosecuted.”
Recall that the EFCC arrested Bobrisky and charged him to court where he was sentenced to six months in prison without an option of a fine for spraying and tampering with the naira.
On Wednesday, April 17, the anti-graft agency also arraigned businessman and social media influencer, Pascal Chubuike popularly known as Cubana Chiefpriest on charges of abusing the naira at some events.
This comes following an announcement by the EFCC that the commission would go after celebrities who are caught flouting the law that prohibits spraying of Naira or manhandling the naira in any way.
Meanwhile, several Nigerians have dismissed Sowore’s call, saying Tinubu did not abuse the naira but handed the money over to the singer as captured in the video.
Below are some comments;
@Kakanfo_: So giving naira to someone is abuse?
@dayo0629: Sir, if you believe that naira is been abusive in this video, it implies that you are dishonest and deceptive, resembling the corrupt politicians we all criticize.
@diaspora_prince: I didn’t see any abuse of the Naira in this video or is this one a mistake? Post the real one if it exist.
@iamkissking: This isn’t abuse of Naira
Guess you as a former president candidate doesn’t know the meaning of Naira abuse or what Naira abuse means fr
I don’t like BAT but did you see him spare it in the air? Did you see him step on it in that video you posted.
@lekanhaastrup: We respect you for the struggle and personally I don’t like what they did to Bob, whereas we have seen a lot of this celebrities spraying and abusing the note, but what are you trying to gain with this
@officialABAT video, his excellency committed no abuse here.
@_sonofalkebulan: My leader I’m forced to say what he did in this video doesn’t exactly qualify as mutilation of naira , he passed a bunch of money to another respectfully, you have taught me to stand for the truth and this is my truth on the matter sir
@akballack13: You just lost my respect. Everyone knows he didn’t spray money at Okoya’s birthday he only handed over bundle of money to him. You know what you are doing and you can do better @YeleSowore.