A Nigerian court has sentenced popular makeup artist Abdullahi Musa Huseini, also known as Amuscap, to six months in jail for abusing the national currency. The conviction stems from an incident at his wedding in December, where he threw 100 one-thousand-naira notes, totaling about $63, into the air.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) stated that Huseini “willfully defaced and abused the naira notes” during the celebration. “Spraying” naira notes at weddings and parties is a common practice in Nigeria, but it is prohibited by law due to its potential to insult the national currency.
The EFCC has been actively enforcing a 2007 law that bans naira abuse, and Huseini’s case is one of several involving celebrities. Critics of the law argue that it is being selectively enforced, as “spraying” money is a prominent feature of Nigerian celebrations.
In recent instances, other high-profile figures have also faced similar charges. Last year, transgender celebrity Bobrisky was sentenced to six months in jail for throwing banknotes at a film premiere, and actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin received the same sentence after being filmed spraying and walking on banknotes.
