Amuscap jailed: The Nigerian make-up was found guilty of 'spraying' money at his wedding party
A make-up artist in Nigeria has been sentenced to six months in jail for abusing the currency, the naira, by flinging it while dancing at his wedding celebration last December.Abdullahi Musa Huseini, popularly known as "Amuscap" on social media, was sentenced by a high court in the northern city of Kano minutes after pleading guilty to the charge.Flinging or "spraying" of banknotes, as it is called in Nigeria, is often done at weddings and other celebrations to show a person's wealth and as an expression of joy.But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been waging a campaign against it, saying it shows disrespect for the naira - one of the country's most important symbols.
Amuscap is the latest Nigerian to be imprisoned for violating the 2007 Central Bank of Nigeria Act. It states that the "spraying of, dancing or [marching] on the naira" is an offence, with the punishment being no less than six months in prison or a 50,000 naira fine ($32; £25), or both.The EFCC said Amuscap while dancing during the wedding celebration "tampered" with 100,000 naira by spraying the notes.A transgender woman known as Bobrisky and actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin spent six months in prison last year after being convicted of the same offence in separate cases. Some social media users have reacted with outrage to the make-up artist's sentencing, saying the punishment is too harsh.One pointed out the hypocrisy of allowing those alleged to have siphoned off the nation's wealth to go unpunished yet jailing a man for "spraying his own money".
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
5 hours ago
- NBC News
Friend concerned for Alaska man Tony Kronos, who vanished in March: 'Where's Tony?'
'Where's Tony?' It's a question Asa Chandler hasn't stopped asking since he heard his old friend Tony Kronos was missing. The 40-year-old was last seen at his residence in the 1600 block of Eleonora Street in Eagle River, Alaska, on March 6, 2025. That was three months ago — and the people in Tony's circle haven't stopped pushing for answers since. Asa Chandler met Tony when they were teenagers. Back then, before he legally changed his name to Tony Kronos, Asa knew him as Josh Kronbach. They grew up in Eagle River — about 20 minutes north of Anchorage. 'I think it's around 50,000 people live here in Eagle River,' Asa said. 'So it's not like that small of a town, but you also quite often run into people that you went to school with.' 'He was always a small, little goofball,' Asa said. 'One of the things we'd all do is go out even further north than where we live to a big sand dunes recreational area by a river and have bonfire parties.' As they got older, Tony got into bodybuilding. 'He was, I think, in 2015, named Mr. Alaska,' Asa said. 'So he went from being a real small guy to being real buff.' 'It was a transformation,' Asa said. When Tony wasn't working out, he was working as a longshoreman. 'Basically loading the ships with cars and whatever is, you know, coming in and going out of Alaska.' According to Asa, Tony had recently purchased property in Hawaii and was planning on moving there. Asa would never have imagined hearing the news that his old friend Tony was missing. But in March 2025, that's what happened. Asa says he saw a Facebook post by a mutual friend asking if anybody had seen or heard from Tony. No one had. 'And then I saw a few other people posted about it over the next couple days,' he said. Asa told Dateline what he and Tony's other friends were able to put together about the day Tony was last seen – Thursday, March 6. 'A neighbor saw him pull into his garage that last time that he was ever seen and he had been seen, you know, just before that at the Planet Fitness gym,' he said. Tony's two cars, keys, wallet, and phone were all located at his home, according to Asa. 'By the third week, some friends had organized a meet-up to pass out posters,' Asa said, adding that he showed up to that. 'From there, we all just started making our own efforts to find him.' 'I came up with 'Where's Tony?'' Asa said of the campaign to spread awareness about his friend. He made a video of the staff at a restaurant he frequents posing that question. 'I put that together, and then the next day, I had a bunch of people that wanted to be in on that. So they sent me videos of them saying 'Where's Tony?' and pretty soon it turned from like a 30-second video to two and a half minutes of all these people saying, 'Where's Tony?'' 'We had a big fundraiser,' Asa said. 'So we raised somewhere between 15 and 20 thousand dollars. That's supposed to be reward money.' Asa also reached out to Dateline about Tony's disappearance. He said he wondered if he was missing, would he want people out there pushing for him. 'I just started trying to put myself in his shoes, and hoping someday he will come back and know that some of the old friendships he had panned out — there were people who cared,' Asa said. So Asa worked to bring greater attention to Tony's story. He says it was a major topic of discussion in town for the first couple of weeks after Tony vanished because friends and family were doing radio, TV, and local news interviews. Plus, missing person posters had been hung all around the community. 'But over the last month, it's kind of — kind of dropped off, you know, which – eventually that was probably bound to happen,' Asa said. NBC affiliate KTUU is part of Alaska's News Source, which has been covering Tony's case since March. On April 9, they reported that the Anchorage Police Department and the FBI were searching a property located directly behind Tony's home. Alaska's News Source reported that online municipal property records showed that the home officers were searching is owned by an Anchorage police officer. On April 11, they reported that after three days of searching, officers left the residence. 'Police have not confirmed that activity at the duplex has anything to do with Kronos' disappearance,' reporter Lauren Maxwell wrote. By the end of April, a lieutenant with the Anchorage Police Department sat down for an interview with Alaska's News Source. 'The detectives are working different angles on every piece of information that they've gathered,' Lieutenant Denielle Hrovat, of APD's Violent Crimes Unit, told Alaska's News Source. 'We are not releasing a lot of information, because that could hinder the furtherance of this case.' Hrovat would not comment on why that residence was searched for three days or what, if anything, was found. Dateline reached out to Christopher Barraza, the Deputy Director of the Anchorage Police Department Community Relations Unit, to see if an officer would be available to discuss the case. Barraza told Dateline they are not doing interviews at this time and that 'this case is currently still being investigated.' Barraza stated that the April press release on their website is the most recent update on Tony's case. 'At this time, there is no new information to release,' the release stated. 'However, we want to emphasize that our detectives, in partnership with the FBI, are working diligently and around the clock to bring Tony home.' The release explained that investigations like this one take time. 'All evidence must be carefully analyzed, items must undergo forensic testing, surveillance footage is being reviewed, search warrants executed, and witnesses interviewed,' it stated. 'These steps are critical to ensuring a thorough and accurate investigation.' The Anchorage Police Department ended the release by stating that their top priorities remain: 'the safe return of Tony and holding those responsible accountable.' Tony is 5'9' and weighs about 185 lbs., with hazel eyes. He is 40 years old, has multiple tattoos on his chest and stomach, and has been known to dye his hair various bright colors. The Anchorage Police Department encourages anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Tony Kronos to contact them on the dedicated tip line at 907-786-8999.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Vile LA rioters target agents at their hotels and threaten to 'burn them' as law enforcement faces death threats
In vile posts calling for violence against law enforcement, the hotels where federal agents are staying in Los Angeles have been released online, with one agitator saying 'burn them.' The exact address of where Border Patrol agents stayed in Ranch Cucamonga, California just outside LA was posted on Instagram by a self-proclaimed 'leftists'. 'ICE at Hilton, car filled goggles, tuff ties, and riot shields,' the video said, even though the cars were clearly marked Border Patrol, which is a sister agency of Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE. Border Patrol has been called in to help ICE as it carried out immigration arrests in Los Angeles last week. Additionally, Border Patrol has always been able to operate within 100 miles of the US-Mexico border on its own. 'Burn them,' posted Instagram users @bobbygee57_ in response to the reel showing the agent's location. 'Got a match,' asked @joseflocas. Another user urged others to damage the tax-payer funded vehicles. Some of the commentators urges violence against Border Patrol agents 'Pop the tires and use spark plugs to break their windows.' Border Patrol agents have since relocated. 'A lot of hotels are compromised,' one agent on the ground told He speculated they might have to sleep inside federal buildings to stay safe. The agency's intelligence team had been notified of the threats against its officers. A second post made unverified claims that ICE agents had been kicked out of a hotel in Pasadena. It shared the new hotel address where the they posters claimed the agents were moving to. The @Stopicenet account shared an image of a Border Patrol truck engulfed in flames. A Free Palestine group shared instructions on how to organize against the cops in LA, saying peaceful protests don't work. 'Riots downtown are great, but what can you accomplish in small numbers, wearing a mask at night, with your phone at home,' posted @solidaritysfl. 'Showing up to a sidewalk protest with protest marshals empowers counterrevolutionary entities (liberals) to drain all the energy and radicalism into Instagram photo ops and call-your-representatives nonsense. That's not going to work. It never has. There are so many other options. If you're all alone, show up to your local Food Not Bombs (in a mask) and let's talk. We are everywhere.' Federal officials have made if clear that violence against agents will not be tolerated. 'Our law enforcement officers are just doing their jobs. Violence and intimidation against federal law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,' ICE posted to X. 'Assaulting, harassing and doxing ICE officers and special agents is against the law. The Justice Department will prosecute you for these federal crimes!' Assaulting, harassing and doxing ICE officers and special agents is against the law. @thejusticedept will prosecute you for these federal crimes! — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) June 9, 2025 While most of the protestors in LA have been peaceful, some have turned to violence, including setting cars on fire and throwing items at police during demonstrations The Trump administration has argued that agent safety is one of the reason the president took the unprecedented step of calling in the national guard, despite opposition from both the governor and mayor of LA. While most protestor in LA have been peaceful, some have set cars on fire and hurled items at officers and their vehicles since the clashes started on Friday.
Western Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Gaza-bound aid boat with Greta Thunberg on board arrives in Israel after seizure
The boat, accompanied by Israel's navy, arrived in Ashdod in the evening, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. It published a photo on social media of Ms Thunberg after disembarking. The 'Selfie Yacht' docked at Ashdod Port a short while ago. The passengers are currently undergoing medical examinations to ensure they are in good health. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025 The 12 activists were undergoing medical checks to ensure they are in good health, the ministry said. They were expected to be held at a detention facility in Ramle before being deported, according to Adalah, a legal rights group representing them. The activists had set out to protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which is among the deadliest and most destructive since the Second World War, and its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid. Both have put the territory of around two million Palestinians at risk of famine. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organised the voyage, said the activists were 'kidnapped by Israeli forces' while trying to deliver desperately needed aid. 'The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted and its life-saving cargo – including baby formula, food and medical supplies – confiscated,' it said in a statement. It said the ship was seized in international waters about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Gaza, and Adalah asserted that Israel had 'no legal authority' to take it over. Israel's Foreign Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying on social media that 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities' is safely making its way to the shores of Israel'. This wasn't humanitarian aid. It's Instagram activism David Mencer, Israeli government spokesperson It said the activists would return to their home countries and the aid would be sent to Gaza through established channels. It circulated footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches and water to the activists, who were wearing life vests. Israeli officials said the flotilla carried what amounted to less than a truckload of aid. 'This wasn't humanitarian aid. It's Instagram activism,' Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said. 'Meanwhile, Israel has delivered over 1,200 truckloads in the last two weeks. So who's really feeding Gaza and who's really feeding their own ego? Greta was not bringing aid, she was bringing herself.' After its two-and-a-half month total blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers and experts have warned of famine unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. About 600 trucks of aid entered daily during the ceasefire that Israel ended in March. An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed after two drones attacked the vessel in international waters off Malta, organisers said. I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible Greta Thunberg The group blamed Israel for the attack, which damaged the ship's front section. The Madleen set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it stopped on Thursday to rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by Libya'a coast guard. 'I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,' Ms Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was halted. Adalah, the rights group, said in a statement that 'the arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of international law'. Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, was among those on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies towards the Palestinians. She was among six French citizens on board. What's been happening since early March is a disgrace, a disgrace French President Emmanuel Macron French President Emmanuel Macron called for consular protection and the repatriation of the French citizens. 'Most of all, France calls for a ceasefire as quickly as possible and the lifting of the humanitarian blockade. This is a scandal, unacceptable, that is playing out in Gaza. What's been happening since early March is a disgrace, a disgrace,' Mr Macron said. Next week, Mr Macron co-hosts a conference at the UN on a two-state solution and recently said France should move towards recognising a Palestinian state. Swedish foreign minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the crew and passengers were aware of the risks, Swedish news agency TT reported. Ms Stenergard said the ministry's assessment is that no-one was in danger and there was no need for consular support. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of a blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population. Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7 2023 but later relented under US pressure. Displaced Palestinians walk past the ruins of destroyed buildings along the Gaza City shoreline (Jehad Alshrafi/AP) In early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the October 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Hamas still holds 55 hostages, more than half believed to be dead. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but has said that women and children make up most of the dead. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of the population, leaving people almost completely dependent on international aid. Efforts to broker another truce have been deadlocked for months. Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Israel has vowed to continue the war until all the captives are returned and Hamas is defeated, or disarmed and exiled.
