n Inspector of Police attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Taraba State Police Command, identified as Falla Falla, has been captured on video mutilating naira notes.
Falla, who is said to be an IPO at the State CID in Jalingo, reportedly arrested human rights activist, Abdulmumin Imam, after allegedly travelling from Taraba State to Abuja to apprehend him.
Imam was subsequently taken to Taraba State, where he was subjected to torture and other forms of abuse.
However, a video obtained in connection with the police officer has also shown Falla engaging in the abuse of the Nigerian currency at a social gathering.
In the video, the police officer, dressed in native attire, is seen dancing while spraying N200 notes.
Three women could also be seen stepping on the naira notes scattered on the ground as the police officer continued dancing and spraying the currency.
The conduct has raised questions over the
involvement of a serving police officer in an act that Nigerian law recognises as an abuse of the naira.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has previously warned that spraying, dancing on or stamping on naira notes constitutes an offence under Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act.
In a 2023 statement, the CBN said: “spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira or any note issued by the Bank during social occasions or otherwise howsoever shall constitute an abuse and defacing of the Naira or such note and shall be punishable under the law by fines or imprisonment or both.”
The position has also been reinforced by recent enforcement actions. In April 2026, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced the conviction of a man who was sentenced to one year in prison, with an option of a N300,000 fine, after he pleaded guilty to mutilating N81,700 during a birthday celebration. The court also ordered the money forfeited to the Federal Government.
SaharaReporters previously reported that
Imam has been forcibly transported from Abuja to Taraba State, where sources say his health is deteriorating.
The move is alleged to have been carried out by a Nigerian police officer identified as Fala, using a vehicle without a license plate.
Imam has denied claims by the Taraba State Police Command that he ignored a police invitation prior to his arrest.
According to sources who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, Imam, a sickle cell patient, was taken by road in an unmarked vehicle, and his condition has worsened due to the long journey without adequate rest.
A source familiar with the situation told SaharaReporters that the activist has become increasingly restless and stressed as a result of the prolonged trip and the circumstances surrounding his detention.
