Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has exonerated a daughter of a former governor of Gombe, Senator Danjuma Goje, Mrs Fauziya Danjuma Goje, of any complicit in abusing the Nigerian currency, the Naira.
Responding to a viral video of a wedding ceremony held in Kano where Naira and Dollars were freely sprayed by guests, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale in a statement on Monday stated that contrary to insinuations that the abuse took place during Senator Goje’s daughter’s wedding, the alleged abuse of the country’s currency indeed took place at the wedding dinner of a daughter of a jeweller, Hajara Seidu Haruna, also known as Hafsat Gold Nigeria, Amina Babagana Zannah.
Hafsat Gold Nigeria, Oyewale Stard was the Chief Executive Officer of Hafsat Jewellery Enterprises with offices in Abuja, Kano, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Oyewale added that the mother of the bride confirmed in the course of the anti-graft agency’s investigation that the alleged abuse of the Naira indeed occurred at her daughter’s wedding dinner.
“The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a viral video where the nation’s currency, Naira, was freely sprayed at a wedding in Kano, Kano State, on Friday, October 24, 2024.
“Allegations of the abuse of the Naira were imputed to Mrs Fauziya Danjuma Goje, daughter of Senator Danjuma Goje, by Nigerians from all walks of life, including an editorial by a leading and respected national newspaper.
“As a responsible and accountable anti-corruption agency campaigning against currency mutilation and dollarisation of the economy, the EFCC swung into action by analysing the video and findings showed that the alleged naira abuse actually happened but not at the wedding of Goje’s daughter but at the wedding dinner of Amina Babagana Zannah held on the aforementioned date.
“Zannah is the daughter of Hajara Seidu Haruna (aka Hafsat Gold Nigeria), who is the Chief Executive Officer of Hafsat Jewellery Enterprise with offices in Abuja, Kano, and Dubai (United Arab Emirates).
“Haruna confirmed the viral video. She admitted that the alleged naira abuse took place at the wedding dinner of her daughter on October 24, 2024. The bridegroom, Ibrahim Mohammad, hails from the Nigeria Republic, and those that allegedly sprayed naira notes and dollar bills were from. The groom’s family in Nigeria Republic,” the EFCC spokesperson stated.
He informed that the groom had since been invited to report at EFCC headquarters in Abuja along with those who sprayed naira notes at the event.
“The Commission has invited the Nigerien groom, Mohammad, to report at its national headquarters in Abuja, with everyone that sprayed naira notes at his wedding with Zannah,” Oyewale stated.
He, however, added, “While the EFCC appreciates the consciousness its campaigns against naira abuse is building across the country, it will not move against anyone wrongly accused of an alleged crime.”
He then assured that the anti-corruption commission “remains steadfast in this crusade and would spare no offender, no matter how highly placed.”