Murja Ibrahim Kunya, a social media influencer popularly known on TikTok, has been sentenced to six months in prison by the Federal High Court in Kano for abusing the Nigerian currency.

The conviction was secured on Wednesday by the Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Simone Amobeda.

The EFCC confirmed the sentencing in an official statement released by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.

Kunya was arrested after she was seen spraying Naira notes for entertainment purposes while staying at Tahir Guest Palace in Kano.

Her actions were deemed to have violated the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act that prohibits the abuse and mutilation of the Naira.

“She was granted an administrative bail by the Commission pending her arraignment before the Federal High Court in Kano.”

“However, when it was time for her court appearance, she absconded in her bid to evade the legal processes,” the EFCC stated.

Following a period of surveillance, EFCC operatives re-arrested Kunya on Sunday, March 16, 2025, and she was arraigned on May 20, 2025, where she pleaded guilty to the amended one-count charge.

The charge read:

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

During proceedings, Prosecution Counsel Musa Isah reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict her in accordance with the law.

In his judgment, Justice Amobeda sentenced the influencer to six months in prison, offering her an option of a ₦50,000 fine.

Beyond the jail term, the court added a unique twist to the ruling aimed at rehabilitation.

Recognizing her significant social media following, the judge also appointed Kunya as an EFCC and CBN Ambassador for online advocacy against Naira abuse.

“The court order requires Kunya “to utilize her social media reach to educate her followers on the importance of respecting the Nigerian currency and the legal consequences of its abuse or mutilation.”

Amnesty International has revealed that over 10,217 Nigerians have been killed in attacks by armed groups since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office two years ago.

The human rights organization stated that Benue State recorded the highest number of deaths with 6,896 fatalities, followed by Plateau State with at least 2,630.

According to the report, the violence has escalated despite President Tinubu’s promise to improve national security.

Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said, “Today marks exactly two years since President Bola Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security.”

“Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty and the security of tens of thousands of people across the country.”

Sanusi emphasized the need for urgent action in light of the resurgence of threats from Boko Haram and other armed groups.

He noted that “recent escalations by Boko Haram and other armed groups indicate the current security measures are ineffective.”

During the period under review, Amnesty reported the rise of new armed groups such as Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi states and Mamuda in Kwara state.

Hundreds of communities across Benue, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau, and Zamfara have suffered devastating attacks.

In Zamfara alone, 638 villages were destroyed, while 725 villages remain under bandit control across 13 local government areas.

The report further highlighted that over 273 people were killed and 467 abducted in Zamfara within the last two years.

Maru local government area witnessed severe attacks, including one on April 24, 2025, where over 20 miners were killed at Gobirawar Chali. In Kebbi State, the Lakurawa group was linked to 70 deaths in 22 attacks.

Benue and Plateau states, in particular, suffered alarming levels of violence. In Bokkos, Plateau State, a deadly coordinated attack on April 3, 2025, resulted in the deaths of entire families.

In Benue, communities were not only attacked but also stripped of critical infrastructure.

“Attackers have destroyed boreholes, clinics, schools, grain reserves, and places of worship in addition to killing residents,” Amnesty stated.

The humanitarian toll is staggering. All 23 local government areas in Benue State have faced assaults, displacing approximately 450,000 people.

In Plateau, about 65,000 people have been displaced in 38 attacks in just two years. Many victims have suffered repeated violence, including assaults on IDP camps.

“The humanitarian situation is worsening as most affected are farmers who have lost access to their land, threatening food security,” Amnesty noted.

Many displaced individuals in Plateau and Katsina now rely on begging to survive. In Zamfara’s Dangulbi district, farmers are unable to sell their sweet potato harvests due to insecurity.

“These attacks deprive people of their right to life while the survivors are deprived of their livelihood,” Sanusi said.

In Sokoto’s Isa local government area, four villages were overrun by gunmen between May 9 and 11, displacing residents and exacerbating hunger.

The report also described how armed groups are now demanding levies via phone threats in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina, with non-compliance punishable by death.

Frustration over the government’s perceived inaction is widespread. A resident from Maru, Zamfara said, “The only relationship between us and the government is that they issue media statements after we are attacked and killed.”

“That is all they do. When the next attack comes, they will issue another empty statement while bandits escalate their atrocities. We are helpless.”

Amnesty International reminded the Nigerian government of its obligations under international law to protect lives and ensure justice for victims.

“Authorities must move swiftly to match their words with serious and concrete action to guarantee the human rights of everyone in Nigeria if they are to be taken seriously on their oft-expressed commitment to stop the killings, violence, abductions and other human rights crimes in several parts of the country,” said Sanusi.

He warned that unchecked impunity is worsening insecurity and urged immediate action to stop the violence. “Time is running out,” he stressed.

Amnesty International has been documenting Nigeria’s security crisis since 2016 and continues to call for accountability and protection for vulnerable rural communities.

The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, criticized the Tinubu administration on Wednesday, stating that the living standards of Nigerians have deteriorated drastically over the past two years.

He warned that if President Bola Tinubu continues on this path throughout his term, he risks losing any future free and fair elections.

Speaking to journalists at the Communication Week Public Lecture, hosted by the National Directorate of Social Communications of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) in Abuja, Onaiyekan expressed deep concern about the worsening economic difficulties in the country.

He urged President Tinubu to prioritize improving the quality of life for Nigerians, tackle the growing insecurity, uplift the economy, and fight corruption.

“My advice for Mr. President is to find ways and means of finding out what Nigeria is actually going through but not from those around him who are always praising him to the skies.”

“He should also know how families are managing with ₦30,000 salary a month. Since it is the people that he should serve, he should do more to raise the level of well-being of Nigerians.”

“I don’t think we are unfair to government if we say that in the last two years, our level of well-being has crashed considerably,” he said.

Onaiyekan acknowledged that the government may argue that it is not at fault or that it has done its best, but he emphasized the government’s responsibility to at least maintain, if not improve, Nigerians’ welfare.

“The government may say it’s not their fault. The government may say they’ve done their best, but the government is there to make sure that at least the level of well-being of Nigerians is maintained and, if possible, improved, and I think it is a good time. Two years is halfway through for him to at least try and do that.”

He further advised that if the President shifts focus to policies that truly benefit Nigeria’s poor, “they will remember him forever.”

However, he warned, “But if he continues like this for the rest of his term, if we have a free and fair election, he will not win because how can the country bring him back if we are not feeling good? Obviously, if they are not waiting for us to vote and they already make up their mind if we win, okay, we praise God.”

“We are still 250 million of us here in this country. We are struggling and we shall win. So I’m hoping that the people around Mr. President will give him that advice.”

Regarding election concerns, Cardinal Onaiyekan remarked, “The elections were over two years ago. He doesn’t have to worry again whether he won the election or not.”

“The Supreme Court said he won, so we have agreed now. Now he should just govern, make life as livable as possible for Nigerians, deal with security everywhere, improve the economic level of our people, and fight corruption.”

Reflecting on the previous administration, he stated, “These were the things that his predecessor said he would do Buhari, He didn’t do it. Eight years, and we expect him to do something.”

“So I don’t know any of you who have the possibility to reach him, or the courage to tell him, but that is necessary.”

Earlier in his speech, Onaiyekan stressed the important role of the media in bringing hope and healing to Nigeria amid mounting social, economic, and political challenges.

He called on media professionals to be responsible in their communication, not merely providing information but also inspiration, while fostering peace, dialogue, non-violence, and inclusive leadership.

In his welcome address, Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, explained that the National Communications Week aims to stimulate meaningful discussions and develop actionable plans around critical Church themes.

He said, “The Church’s call for disarmament among nations, a recurrent message in Papal Messages for the World Day of Peace, has now found profound expression in the realm of communications.”

“In his four-section 59th ‘Message for the World Day of Communications, 2025,’ Pope Francis passionately calls for the disarming of communications to rid it of aggression, violence, unhealthy rivalry, and divisive ideologies.”

Also speaking, Shuaib Husseni, Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), noted that Nigeria faces multiple crises including ethnic tensions, religious conflicts, political violence, and misinformation, often worsened by inflammatory media coverage.”

He emphasized that “disarming communication and conflict-sensitive reporting are essential tools for mitigating these conflicts.”