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Justice S.M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court in Kano has sentenced Kannywood actress Samha Inuwa to six months imprisonment for mutilating the Nigerian currency.
The judgment was delivered on Friday following her arraignment on a one-count charge bordering on tampering with a N1,000 note, an offence punishable under the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.
According to the charge presented before the court, the actress tampered with a N1,000 note issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by soiling it with mucus from her nose in 2022.
When the charge was read to her, Inuwa pleaded guilty.
During the proceedings, prosecuting counsel Musa Isah reviewed the facts of the case and urged the court to convict the actress in line with the law.
In her plea for leniency, Inuwa told the court she was a first-time offender and expressed regret over her actions, asking for mercy.
In his ruling, Justice Shuaibu sentenced her to six months in prison, with an option of paying a fine of N200,000.
The case followed her arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) earlier this month. The anti-graft agency said it took action after a video circulated widely on social media showing the actress using naira notes to clean mucus from her nose.
According to the commission, operatives from its Kano Zonal Directorate traced the viral clip, identified Inuwa and subsequently took her into custody for questioning.
The EFCC noted that the video provided sufficient evidence to initiate prosecution under existing laws prohibiting abuse of the national currency.
Under Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, it is an offence to tamper with, deface or otherwise abuse the naira.
The law stipulates that any person who soiling, tearing, stapling, writing on or damaging a banknote or coin is liable on conviction to a minimum of six months imprisonment, a fine of not less than N50,000, or both.
In recent years, the EFCC has intensified enforcement of provisions relating to currency abuse, prosecuting individuals accused of spraying, stamping, mutilating or defacing naira notes at social events and in public spaces.
The commission maintains that strict enforcement is necessary to preserve the integrity of the national currency.
The conviction of Inuwa adds to the growing list of high-profile cases involving public figures prosecuted for naira abuse. Legal observers say the ruling sends a clear message about compliance with financial regulations and respect for the country’s legal framework.
For the Kannywood actress, the judgment marks a significant legal setback, underscoring the consequences of violating laws designed to protect Nigeria’s currency.
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