By Praise Chinecherem
Human right advocate, Barr. Anthony Kelechi Agbasiere has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to beam her searchlight on the banks and individuals selling and stealing naira and not dissipating their energy on people spraying naira.
The call is coming on the heels on the recent arrest of controversial cross-dresser Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky, who is currently serving a six months jail terms without an option of fine for abusing the Nigerian currency.
The EFCC had arrested Bobrisky, over currency mutilation and abuse of the Naira at Pinnock Estate in Lagos State early this month and he was subsequently sentence to six months imprisonment by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Agbasiere who spoke in Awka, during the birthday celebration of the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Pool King Estate Nigeria, Hon. Gabriel Chukwunwendu stressed that nothing was wrong in spraying money when one is in a happy mood.
The right activist, who is also a Knight of Saint John International argued that people spray money just to show appreciation to a celebrant or someone who is doing something good.
He said, “For me, I do not see anything wrong with Bobrisky did. Currency is been sprayed across the globe, even in the United State of America, people also spray dollar there without any arrest let alone arraignment. The US dollar has more value than naira. So the government should pursue substance and leave shadow.
โI do not blame EFCC entirely for discharging her statutory duty rather I blame the National Assembly whose job it is to make laws for good governance, law and order in the country.
โThe National Assembly members are there spending much time over unnecessary things. This is a misplacement of priority. The lawmakers should focus more on things that will move the country forward.
โI have been advocating and I challenge members of the National Assembly, if they claim they are patriotic, let them make election rigging and embazzlement of public fund capital offence (death sentence), which I strongly believe that with these two laws, Nigeria will be better for all of us.”
