By Abdulraheem Olanrewaju
The Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted and sentenced three persons for offences bordering on possession of counterfeit currencies and illegal bureau de change operations.
The convictions were secured on Wednesday by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Abimbola Awogboro.
The convicts are Salisu Nura, a cattle transporter from Jigawa State; Umar Mikailu, a teacher from Kano State; and Haruna Abubakar, a bureau de change operator.
Nura and Mikailu were arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during a stop-and-search operation along Jebba Road in January 2026 before being handed over to the EFCC for investigation.
According to the EFCC, Nura was found with 435 counterfeit $100 notes and 378 counterfeit £50 notes.
While Mikailu and Abubakar pleaded guilty to the charges against them, Nura pleaded not guilty to the 11-count charge filed against him.
Justice Awogboro adjourned Nura’s case till May 19, 2026, for commencement of trial and ordered his remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The court, however, convicted Mikailu and Abubakar after the prosecution tendered extra-judicial statements and recovered exhibits, including counterfeit foreign currencies.
In his judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced Mikailu to two years imprisonment without an option of fine and ordered the forfeiture of the counterfeit currencies to the Federal Government.
Abubakar was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with an option of N1 million fine for operating a bureau de change business without a valid licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
