Eight days after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced it would question Government Ekpumupolo, a former militant leader also known as Tompolo, for abusing the naira, there has been only silence.
This is amid ongoing conversations on social media that the anti-graft agency is biased, prosecuting citizens while ignoring high-profile individuals who break the law.
On May 12, the agency wrote, “Nobody is above the law. Tompolo will have questions to answer!”
However, more than one week after the agency said it would interrogate Tompolo, it has yet to provide an update.
In the viral video, Tompolo was filmed stepping on naira notes as he danced at his 54th birthday held in April.
Some unidentified men sprayed the naira at his feet as he danced to some background music.
Media reports state that while the agency has sent him a letter inviting him to their office, nothing has been heard of it.
This is not the first time the agency has appeared reluctant to prosecute high-profile citizens who have been filmed abusing the naira despite its active campaign on the proper use of the currency notes.
The agency refers to Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act to prosecute Nigerians who spray the naira in whatever form.
Section 21 of the CBN Act states, “It is against the law to spray the Naira banknotes at occasions. It is against the law to dance/stamp on the Naira banknotes.”
The viral video shows Tompolo committed two of the offences listed by the CBN Act concerning the use of the naira.
Tompolo is known for his role as a former militant leader from the Niger Delta region.
He is also the chief priest of the Egbesu deity, a god of war in the Ijaw tribe.
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