- Court Jails Two Men 49 Years Over Fake Dollar Possession In Kano
- Claimed they were on their way to a marabout to convert fake notes
- Judge orders destruction of counterfeit cash after sentencing
By Grateful Ogunjebe
Federal High Court in Kano has sentenced two men to 49 years in prison for being in possession of counterfeit US dollar bills.
Eko hot blog gathered that Justice M.S. Shuabu handed down the sentence to Abubakar Husseini and Sahabi Adamu after they pleaded guilty to a seven-count charge involving a total of 4,997 fake $100 bills.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arrested the duo on 30 May 2025 while they were travelling to Gwaram, Jigawa State, allegedly to meet a marabout who would “turn the fake dollars into real ones.”
The EFCC told the court that the third suspect involved in the scheme had since gone into hiding and remains at large.
Counsel to the EFCC, Mustapha Maiwada, revealed that the convicts entered a plea bargain under Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
According to the prosecution, the fake currency was broken into bundles including 1,204, 882, 847, 823, 710 and 531 pieces of $100 bills, which were all discovered during arrest.
Defence counsel, M.D. Isa, asked the court to show leniency during sentencing, but the judge held that the offence posed a major risk to national security.
Justice Shuabu stressed that if such counterfeit currency infiltrates the Bureau De Change market and circulates abroad, innocent Nigerians could face jail abroad if caught with it.
He noted that law enforcement must ensure fake money does not get into the financial system to protect the country from collapse.
The judge then sentenced both defendants to seven years on each of the seven charges, to run concurrently, meaning each man will serve seven years total.
There was no option of fine in the sentencing, underscoring the seriousness with which the court viewed the offence.
The judge also ordered the confiscated counterfeit currency to be forfeited to the government and destroyed, as stated in the plea bargain.
This judgment comes amid rising concerns about financial crime and illegal money circulation in parts of northern Nigeria.
It also reflects the judiciary’s commitment to combating economic sabotage through stiff penalties and enforcement of financial laws.
Authorities have urged members of the public to report suspicious financial dealings and avoid being lured into quick-money schemes.
Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to apprehend the third suspect connected to the case, whose identity remains under wraps.
The EFCC also encouraged Bureau De Change operators to strengthen screening processes to avoid being tricked with fake foreign currency.
The case is one of several recent prosecutions led by the EFCC aimed at curbing the growing influence of counterfeit operations in Nigeria.
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