"Spraying Naira Notes at My Party Has Landed Me in Police Net": Lady Raises Alarm, Lawyer Reacts
- A young lady in Lagos was arrested by police for spraying Naira notes at her private birthday party
- The lady who spoke anonymously said the police officers messed up her big day and are now ready to arraign her
- Nigerian lawyer Stanley Alieke weighs in on this, explaining the legal implications of spraying money at parties, making money cakes, and so on
Lagos, Nigeria - The police arrested a young lady (name withheld) for spraying Naira notes at her private birthday party.
Source: Getty Images
"Few weeks ago, I threw a birthday party to celebrate my 30th birthday. Thirty years on earth is a huge milestone, and I decided to invite my friends for a birthday bash at a popular hotel in Lagos.
"We were all having a nice time, drinking, eating, dancing, and spraying each other money to appreciate ourselves.
"All of a sudden, some police operatives barged in on us and arrested me. My offence? Spraying Naira notes! I have never heard of such an offence! I'm deeply hurt as my big day was messed up the police and they're now planning to arraign me.
"Is this really an offence or the police were lying?"
Spraying Naira notes is an offence, says Stanley Alieke
Barrister Stanley Alieke is an Abuja-based legal practitioner, human rights activist and managing partner at Stanley Alieke & Co., Law Capitol.
Spraying money at parties or in a nightclub is a criminal offence punishable with at least 6 months jail term.
If everybody who has committed this offence is to be arrested and tried, then thousands of persons (if not millions) will go to jail because spraying (Naira) notes and throwing them into the air has come to be an exciting habit that most socialites engage in.
People are always eager to spray money at parties. If the “ballers” don’t throw money into the air, fun has not started in clubs. People now spray money even in churches.
Unfortunately, most of them do not know that such an exciting habit is a crime but as we say in Latin, “Ignorantia juris non excusat”, meaning ignorance of the law excuses no one.
Making money cakes is also a crime, Alieke says
Not just spraying money is a crime; anything (at all) that was done that is dishonourable to the naira or that tampers with the sanctity of the Nigerian currency is a crime, and it’s punishable with a six-month jail term.
Some of these dishonourable acts may include making money cakes, money flowers or money bouquets, selling money, littering money on the floor, stepping on money, squeezing money, defacing money, washing money, etc.
The Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 criminalised this offence, particularly in Section 21. The section provides thus:
“A person who tampers with a coin or note issued by the Bank is guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for a term not less than six months or to a fine not less than N50,000 or to both such fine and imprisonment”.
Subsequently, subsection two went ahead to explain what the word “tamper” means as used in sub-section one:
“A coin or note shall be deemed to have been tampered with if the coin or note has been impaired, diminished or lightened otherwise than by fair wear and tear or has been defaced by stumping, engraving, mutilating, piercing, Stapling, writing, tearing, soiling, squeezing or any other form of deliberate and wilful abuse whether the coin or note has or has not been thereby diminished or lightened”.
This means that whatever is done to have subjected the naira notes or coins to abuse implies tampering.
During Valentine’s Day, for example, some lovers go the extra mile to send their partners money cakes, money roses, or money bouquets, all decorated with money.
It is pertinent to bring to your attention that such an act is a crime as well as provided in S.21, and it is punishable with a six-month jail term.
Using the naira to build a money cake or money bouquet for your lover can land you in jail as it is one of the acts that “tamper” with the currency, as provided in section 21(2) of the CBN Act, 2007.
Actress Simi Gold sentenced to 6 months in prison
Meanwhile, Nigerian actress Oluwadara Omoseyin, popularly known as Simi Gold, has reportedly bagged a six-month prison sentence.
She got into trouble after spraying and stepping on the highly sought-after new naira notes at an Owambe party.
Disclaimer: Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers' decisions about solving problems. Readers should always seek their own professional advice that takes into account their own personal circumstances before making any decision.
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