Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, in Kwara State, has sentenced three persons to various jail terms for being in possession of fake naira notes.
The convicts are Olaitan Dina, a 46-year-old aluminium fabricator, Opeyemi Jeremiah, a bakery worker and Adebayo Abiola.
They were arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and handed over to the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and prosecution.
Investigations revealed that the naira notes in their possession were fake, with several bearing identical serial numbers.
The defendants, who were prosecuted on separate charges, pleaded guilty.
One of the counts against Dina read: “That you, Olaitan Dina, sometime in July, 2025, at Ilorin within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court uttered 21 pieces of N1,000 notes to one Abiola Adebayo; 11 of them are with the same serial number: Y/64 235922; five are of serial number: Y/64 235926; three are with serial number: Y/64 235923 and two are with serial number: Y/64 235917, respectively, which you knew to be counterfeits and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5(1)(a) of Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, 1983 and punishable under Section 5 (1) (c) of the same Act.”
Also, one of the counts against Jeremiah read: “That you, Opeyemi Jeremiah, on or about 19th July, 2025, at Ilorin within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court had in your possession 14 pieces of N1,000 notes; seven of them are with the same serial number: Y/64 235922; three are of serial number: Y/64 235926, two are with serial number: Y/64 235923 and two are with serial number: Y/64 235917, respectively, which you knew to be counterfeit and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 5(1)(b) of Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, 1983 and punishable under Section 5 (1)(c) of same Act.”
The particulars of the charge against Abiola read: “That you, Adebayo Mayowa Abiola on or about 19th July, 2025, at Ilorin with the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court did aid one Afolabi Habeeb Adebayo to procure seven pieces of N1,000 notes; four of them are with the same serial number: Y/64 235922; two are of serial number: Y/64 235926 and one is with serial number: Y/64 235923, respectively, which you knew to be counterfeits and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6(1) of Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, 1983 and punishable under Section 5(1)(c) of the same Act.
During the review of facts, the EFCC counsel, Aliyu Adebayo, called a detective, Abdulhakeem Sani Umar, who testified that the fake notes recovered from the convicts were sent to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja for forensic examination. The analysis confirmed them to be counterfeit.
Adebayo tendered the fake currency and the defendants’ extra-judicial statements as evidence, urging the court to convict them as charged.
In his judgment, Justice Awogboro held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“The issue of naira counterfeiting is a serious crime against the law and the society. I wonder what this country is turning into. Many are involved in drug abuse, some in cybercrime and now others in counterfeiting. The court must pass a sentence that will serve as a deterrent,” she said.
Consequently, Justice Awogboro sentenced Dina to 18 months imprisonment, while Jeremiah and Abiola each received 15 months imprisonment.
All sentences are to run from October 15, 2025, without the option of a fine.
The court also ordered that all the counterfeit notes recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the federal government.
