Deyemi Okanlawon, the Nollywood actor, has shared his thoughts on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s recent clampdown on naira abuse.

In a recent interview on the Nollywood On Radio show, Deyemi criticised the EFCC for “disproportionately focusing on entertainers” while larger issues of corruption and crime persist.

The actor also acknowledged that some cultural norms, like the disregard for maintenance, need reevaluation.

He suggested that promoting respect for national symbols, such as the naira, could help reshape public attitudes.

“Two things, I think that because something is cultural does not make it right. We have a culture that does not really emphasise on maintenance of things,” he said.

“We have seen how things are built and we do not maintain it so we continue in that light…

“They are saying have respect for the naira, have respect for your country, maybe that is the way to do it. But the second thing is that I also think there are so many issues with corruption and crime going on in the country across different segments of people.

“So this move by the agency to come against entertainers is a bit too much in the light of everything else that we are trying to deal with.

“If every day we hear about corrupt officials, politicians, or organisations being brought down by the agency, we’d be more likely to trust that they’re acting in our best interest. Then, if they ask us to stop something like spraying money, we’d likely obey without question because we’d trust that the agency has the moral right to make such requests.”

TikTokers TobiNation and TDollar were recently sentenced to six months’ imprisonment over the abuse of naira notes.

On April 29, businessman E-Money was also arrested for reportedly abusing the dollar. He was, however, released a day later.

The socialite’s case with the anti-graft agency comes a few days after Terry Apala, the singer, was remanded at the Ikoyi correctional centre over alleged abuse of naira notes.

Iyabo Ojo and AY Makun also revealed that they were recently invited by the commission over money spraying.

In March, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, a TikToker, was rearrested in Kano for allegedly abusing the naira.

In 2024, the EFCC intensified its crackdown on naira abuse, citing section 21 of the CBN Act.