Three jailed for currency counterfeiting in Kwara

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ilorin has sentenced three persons to various jail terms, having found them guilty of being in possession of fake Naira notes.

The convicts: Olaitan Dina, a 46-year-old aluminium fabricator from Maraba in Ilorin; Opeyemi Jeremiah, a bakery worker from Oke-Ero local government area of Kwara state; and Adebayo Mayowa Abiola from Osi, Ekiti state, 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.

In a statement by the head, media and publicity of the anti-graft agency, Dele Adeyemi, he said that the Naira notes found in their possession were fake, with several bearing identical serial numbers.

The defendants, who were prosecuted on separate charges, pleaded guilty to their respective charges. One of the counts against Dina reads: “That you, Olaitan Dina sometime in July, 2025, at Ilorin within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court uttered 21 (twenty one) pieces of #1000 (One Thousand Naira) notes to one Abiola Adebayo; eleven 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”

Details of 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 (fourteen) pieces of #1000 (One Thousand Naira) 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”

And, 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 7 (Seven) pieces of #1000 (One Thousand Naira) 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 Detective Abdulhakeem Sani Umar, an EFCC operative, 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 the notes 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 the judgment delivered, Justice Awogboro held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

“The issue of Naira counterfeiting is a serious crime against the law and 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.

Justice Awogboro consequently 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 counterfeit notes recovered from the convicts be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

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