Prominent human rights lawyer and activist,Barr. Deji Adeyanju, has called on the National Assembly to urgently review and repeal Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007, which criminalises acts such as spraying, writing on, mutilating, stapling, or otherwise defacing the naira.
In an open letter addressed to lawmakers, Adeyanju described the law as “out of touch with the lived realities of Nigerians”, and accused the government of weaponising legislation to suppress cultural expressions.
“The law must serve the people, not the other way around,” he said, invoking the words of revolutionary thinker Huey P. Newton.
Adeyanju argued that in Nigeria, money transcends its economic purpose, often serving as a symbol of joy, communal identity, and celebration especially during events like weddings, funerals, birthdays, and traditional ceremonies.
His intervention followed a series of high-profile arrests of entertainers and public figures accused of naira abuse during social events.
While the CBN and law enforcement agencies justify the law as a means of protecting the integrity of the naira, Adeyanju said the approach lacks cultural sensitivity and proportionality. He noted that the worst damage to the naira happens daily in markets, religious centres, and street corners, where no prosecutions are made.
“Does gently placing a note on someone’s forehead at a wedding amount to a crime?” he questioned.
“Sprayed notes are often collected, preserved, and re-circulated. Criminalising such practices ignores their cultural significance.”
Adeyanju maintained that the enforcement of Section 21 risks criminalising centuries-old traditions, replacing communal joy with legal anxiety.
He urged the National Assembly to:
- Amend or repeal Section 21 to reflect Nigeria’s cultural realities.
- Clearly distinguish between deliberate destruction and cultural use of currency.
- Ensure fair, proportional, and uniform enforcement of laws.
- Focus on public enlightenment on currency handling rather than criminalisation.
“Any law that targets the way of life of a people is a bad law. It is disconnected from the cultural heartbeat of the society it seeks to govern,” Adeyanju added.
He called for a legal system that both protects the naira and respect the values of the Nigerian people, stated that currency is not only a means of exchange, but also a vessel of honour, celebration, and community spirit.
