On Friday, a popular Nigerian transgender woman known as Bobrisky (Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju) was sentenced to six months in prison. This rare conviction stemmed from a local court finding her guilty of spraying the local currency into the air, known as “spraying.” Spraying money is a common practice in Nigeria, but Bobrisky’s actions were deemed as “tampering” with the naira notes.
Bobrisky initially pleaded guilty when arraigned by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency in Lagos. The six-month sentence, which does not offer the option of a fine, represents the maximum punishment allowed by law for this offense. Bobrisky has the right to appeal the verdict.
This incident has raised concerns about selective enforcement of the law in Nigeria, as lawyer Festus Ogun questioned why Bobrisky was specifically targeted by the anti-graft agency.
Bobrisky expressed ignorance of the law, stating in court that as a social media influencer with a large following, she wished to use her platform to educate her followers against abusing the naira.
Spraying naira notes is considered disrespectful to the local currency, as the trampled notes often end up on the ground. The presiding judge, Abimbola Awogboro, emphasized the need to deter such behavior, stating that “enough is enough” and that “people mutilating and tampering with our currencies” must stop.