The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of Bilikis Adeyinka for hawking naira notes in Ikeja, Lagos State. According to a statement on the EFCC's Facebook page on Thursday, Adeyinka was apprehended with N897,900, violating Section 21(4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2007.
Adeyinka was arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke at a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on charges of currency racketeering, to which she pleaded guilty. The prosecution counsel, C.C. Okezie, presented Olagunju Abdul Malik, an EFCC operative, who reviewed the case details. Abdul Malik informed the court that Adeyinka was arrested on April 27, 2024, while hawking naira notes at the 10 Degree Event Centre on Billings Way in Ikeja, based on credible intelligence received by the EFCC. At the time of arrest, N897,900 was recovered from her, and she provided statements after being cautioned.
Justice Aneke sentenced Adeyinka to six months imprisonment, with an option of a N50,000 fine, and ordered the forfeiture of the recovered N897,900 to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a related incident, the EFCC's Maiduguri Zonal Command arrested five Bureau de Change operators on Tuesday at the Borno State Hajj Camp at Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education in Maiduguri. The arrests followed credible intelligence regarding their involvement in illegal foreign currency sales. The EFCC stated that the suspects would be prosecuted after the ongoing investigation is concluded.