On Tuesday, 9 December 2025, Justice R. N. Ofili‑Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court in Abuja found Faisal Muhammad guilty of illegal currency trafficking.
The conviction followed a one‑count charge brought by the Abuja Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which alleged that he had been hawking and selling Naira notes within the city.
The indictment, filed on 1 December 2025, specified that in July 2025, at A.Y.A. in Abuja, Muhammad possessed and offered for sale N3,150,000 in Central Bank of Nigeria notes—comprising N1,000 and N500 denominations amounting to N1,700,000 and N1,450,000 respectively. This conduct was said to contravene Section 21(4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which prohibits unauthorized dealing in currency.
Muhammad entered a guilty plea, after which the prosecuting counsel, Eunice Vou, submitted his confession and the seized banknotes as evidence. Relying on the admission and the statutory provision, Justice Ofili‑Ajumogobia sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment and offered the alternative of a fine of N200,000.
The case arose from an arrest made in July 2025 when officers intercepted Muhammad while he was actively trading the notes. The judgment underscores the authorities’ commitment to enforcing the CBN Act and curbing illicit currency activities in the federal capital.
