EXPOSED: How former governor was arrested in UK spraying pounds sterling at birthday party

Half of the current 36 state governors -18 – are being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to the anti-graft agency’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, as reported by The Nation.

Those found wanting will face the law at the end of their tenure, he said.

Olukoyede spoke during a sensitization programme for movie producers, musicians and bureau de change operators, in Lagos on Friday.

The programme was meant to educate the participants on the ills of naira mutilation and abuse.

“As I am talking to you, I am investigating about 18 governors who are still serving. When they leave (office), we will go to the next level,” he said.

He, however, did not name the governors being probed or give further details of the investigation.

Speaking on naira abuse and mutilation, he recalled the case of a former governor who was arrested in the United Kingdom for spraying pounds at his own (ex-governor’s) birthday party.

The manager of the hotel hosting the birthday party, Olukoyede said, had called in the authorities after seeing the ex-governor spraying £50 and £10 bills.

The suspect, he added, was already under EFCC’s investigation while in office, but fled the country just before the expiration of his tenure, to avoid arrest.

“This governor was investigated while he was in office. Immediately he finished his tenure, the following day, he took off to England to avoid arrest by EFCC,” the EFCC chair said.

“Coincidentally, that week happened to be his birthday. He organised a birthday party in the hotel where he was staying.

“While the party was going on, he started spraying pounds — £50 bills and £10 bills.

“So the manager of the hotel was called. He came down and saw the former governor spraying pounds.

“He had never seen such a thing in his life, so he had to call 911.

“When the Metropolitan Police came, he asked that they should help arrest the former governor.

“The ex-governor was arrested and they wanted to put him in an ambulance.

“The people — his friends, colleagues and two governors — who went to London to celebrate with him had to intervene.

“They said the ex-governor was not a mad man, because the hotel manager thought he was mad.”

Olukoyede sought the cooperation of critical stakeholders from the entertainment industry, media, legal profession and bureau de change operators as well as security agencies with the EFCC in the fight against naira abuse in the country.

“The Naira is a symbol of our sovereignty. How we treat it reflects how much we respect ourselves as a people,” he said.

He particularly condemned the rampant spraying, stamping and mutilation of the Naira at social functions.

He said previous efforts to stamp out the practice have not achieved the desired result.

His words: “Over the past year, the EFCC, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has intensified enforcement and public awareness campaigns to combat Naira abuse.

“These efforts include the establishment of a Task Force on Dollarisation and Naira Abuse, as well as the prosecution of offenders, including public figures and celebrities.”

He did not agree with those who called money spraying at parties a cultural practice.

He said: “As a salary earner myself, it is unimaginable for me to throw my hard-earned income into the air.

“An offence is an offence, and ignorance of the law is no excuse.

“Being a criminal offence under the CBN Act and the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Naira abuse imposes a heavy financial burden on the Central Bank, which expends substantial resources replacing defaced or mutilated notes.”

He urged musicians and other entertainers to help in educating their fans on the proper handling of the national currency.

“In every performance, let one of your opening lines be a reminder to your fans that spraying or stamping on the Naira is a crime.

“We must all rise to defend the integrity of our currency,” Olukoyede said.

He said much of the stolen public funds recovered by the agency was being made available to support social investment initiatives of the Federal Government.

Specifically, N100 billion recovered proceeds of crime have been committed to the National Education Loan Fund (NELFund) and the Consumer Credit Scheme (Credicorp).

Recovered assets have also been deployed to fund the skill acquisition centre and liaison office for the NDDC in Bayelsa State while a confiscated property in Kaduna State has been converted to the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.

Another speaker at the session was the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Isa-Onilu, who described naira abuse as not only unlawful but unethical.

“As citizens, we must embody civic responsibility and national cohesion. Our actions must align with the National Values Charter.

“Values must be our guide in everything we do,” he said.

He added: “The Naira is not confetti. It is not an accessory for prestige. It is a national asset that demands respect.

“When you honour the Naira, you honour Nigeria.”