Federal High Court in Ilorin has sentenced three men to various prison terms for offences relating to counterfeit currency and unlicensed bureau de change operations.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, convicted Salisu Nura, Umar Mikailu, and Haruna Abubakar following separate prosecutions by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Nura, a cattle transporter from Jigawa State, and Mikailu, a teacher from Kano State, were arrested on January 27, 2026, by the Kwara State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency during a stop-and-search operation on Jebba Road.
EFCC officials said Nura was found with 435 counterfeit $100 notes and 378 counterfeit £50 notes.
Both were arraigned on charges under Section 5(1)(b) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act, 2004.
Nura also faced additional charges of dealing in 70 counterfeit $100 notes with serial number AK67112191A, an offence under Section 4(1) of the same Act.
Mikailu pleaded guilty, while Nura pleaded not guilty to an 11-count charge. The court remanded Nura in Nigerian Correctional Service custody and adjourned his trial to May 19, 2026.
Abubakar, a Bureau De Change operator, was prosecuted separately on a one-count charge of operating a bureau de change without a Central Bank of Nigeria licence, contrary to Section 57(1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020. He pleaded guilty.
The prosecution presented extra-judicial statements and the recovered counterfeit currencies as evidence, which the court admitted.
Justice Awogboro sentenced Nura and Mikailu to two years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine and ordered the forfeiture of the counterfeit currencies to the Federal Government.
Abubakar received a 12-month sentence or an option of a ₦1 million fine.
