Nigeria: man sentenced to 6 months in prison for throwing banknotes at his wedding
In Nigeria, what is often seen as a festive gesture can now come at a high cost. On Monday, a federal court in Kano, in the north of the country, sentenced a popular makeup artist to six months in prison for throwing banknotes during his wedding.
Known as Amuscap to his 153,000 Instagram followers, Abdullahi Musa Huseini was found guilty of having “willfully defaced and abused” the national currency, the naira. Last December, the young man was seen showering guests with hundreds of 1,000-naira bills—around 59 euros—as part of the celebration.
The act, a hallmark of Nigerian festivities known as “spraying,” has been banned since 2007. Authorities consider it an offense against the national currency. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been leading a campaign in recent months to crack down on the practice, particularly targeting public figures.
However, the severity of the response has drawn criticism. Many have accused the judiciary of applying the law selectively. Last year, well-known transgender influencer Bobrisky, who has five million followers, and actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin were also sentenced to six months in prison for spraying naira banknotes at public events.
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