A viral video allegedly showing former militant leader Chief Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo, celebrating his birthday while N1,000 notes were sprayed in front of him has ignited widespread public backlash.
The footage, shared on social media platform X.com by user @harreceipts, reportedly captures the moment from Tompolo’s 54th birthday party, held in April. In the video, Tompolo is seen dancing as someone sprays naira notes, an act considered a criminal offense under Nigerian law.
According to Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 (as amended), defacing the naira—including spraying or dancing on it—is punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recently stepped up enforcement of this law.
In April, the EFCC convicted social media personality Bobrisky (Idris Okuneye) and sentenced him to six months in prison for similar actions. Businessman E-Money (Emeka Okonkwo) was also arrested in May for allegedly spraying dollars at a public event. Celebrities including Iyabo Ojo and comedian Ayo Makun were also questioned over related offences.
Earlier this year, sons of billionaire Razaq Okoya, Wahab and Raheem Okoya, were invited by the EFCC after a video showed them spraying money during a music video shoot.
Now, the emergence of Tompolo’s video has triggered a new wave of criticism, with many Nigerians accusing the EFCC of selective enforcement. Social media users have called out the agency for allegedly ignoring high-profile individuals while cracking down on others, demanding equal accountability.
