Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has handed down prison sentences to three individuals found guilty of possessing counterfeit naira notes.
The convicted persons include Olaitan Dina, a 46-year-old aluminium fabricator; Opeyemi Jeremiah, employed at a bakery; and Adebayo Abiola.
These suspects were apprehended by officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and subsequently transferred to the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation and legal proceedings.
Investigations uncovered that the currency in their possession was forged, with multiple notes sharing identical serial numbers.
Each defendant faced separate charges and entered guilty pleas.
For instance, one charge against Dina stated: “That you, Olaitan Dina, in July 2025, at Ilorin within the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction, knowingly passed 21 pieces of N1,000 notes to Abiola Adebayo; among these, 11 bore the serial number Y/64 235922; five had Y/64 235926; three carried Y/64 235923; and two showed Y/64 235917, all counterfeit, thereby violating Section 5(1)(a) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, 1983, punishable under Section 5(1)(c) of the same Act.”
Similarly, a charge against Jeremiah read: “That you, Opeyemi Jeremiah, on or about July 19, 2025, at Ilorin within the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction, possessed 14 pieces of N1,000 notes; seven with serial number Y/64 235922; three with Y/64 235926; two with Y/64 235923; and two with Y/64 235917, all counterfeit, in breach of Section 5(1)(b) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, 1983, punishable under Section 5(1)(c) of the same Act.”
The charge against Abiola specified: “That you, Adebayo Mayowa Abiola, on or about July 19, 2025, at Ilorin within the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction, assisted Afolabi Habeeb Adebayo in obtaining seven pieces of N1,000 notes; four with serial number Y/64 235922; two with Y/64 235926; and one with Y/64 235923, all counterfeit, thereby committing an offence under Section 6(1) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, 1983, punishable under Section 5(1)(c) of the same Act.”
During the trial, EFCC prosecutor Aliyu Adebayo called Detective Abdulhakeem Sani Umar to testify. Umar confirmed that the seized counterfeit notes were sent to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja for forensic analysis, which verified their fraudulent nature.
Adebayo presented the forged currency and the defendants’ extra-judicial confessions as evidence, urging the court to convict them accordingly.
In delivering her verdict, Justice Awogboro affirmed that the prosecution had established the defendants’ guilt beyond any reasonable doubt.
“Counterfeiting naira is a grave offense that undermines both the law and societal order. It is alarming to witness the rise in such crimes alongside drug abuse and cybercrime. The court must impose penalties that will discourage others,” she remarked.
As a result, Dina was sentenced to 18 months in prison, while Jeremiah and Abiola each received 15-month terms.
All sentences are to commence from October 15, 2025, with no option for fines.
The court further ordered that all counterfeit currency confiscated from the accused be forfeited to the federal government.
