A popular Nigerian singer, Terry Apala, whose real name is Terry Alexander Ejeh, has been remanded in a Correctional Centre following his arraignment in a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, April 25, 2025. He faces charges related to the alleged mutilation of Naira notes during a social event.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a one-count charge against Terry Apala, accusing him of tampering with Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The charge states that on January 5, 2025, at La Madison Place in Oniru, during a social event, Terry Apala was seen dancing and allegedly marching on the Naira notes, thereby mutilating them.
This act, according to the charge, violates Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which prohibits the defacement or mutilation of the national currency.
Upon being read the charge, Terry Apala pleaded not guilty to the offense. In response, the prosecution counsel, S.I. Suleiman, asked the court to set a trial date while also requesting that Apala be remanded in custody.
Apala’s defense counsel, Felix Nwabuda, filed a bail application on April 23, 2025, requesting that the singer be released into the custody of his legal team. He assured the court that Terry Apala would attend all hearings, emphasizing that the singer had voluntarily returned from the United Kingdom at the EFCC’s invitation. However, the prosecution opposed the bail application, labeling it “alien and unheard of.”
In a short ruling, Justice Akintayo Aluko denied the bail request and remanded the singer in a Correctional Centre until the next court hearing.
The case has attracted significant public attention due to the nature of the charge and its implications for Nigerian celebrities who may unintentionally or recklessly violate financial laws. Mutilating the national currency is a serious offense in Nigeria, and the court’s decision to remand Terry Apala has sparked debates about celebrity responsibility and the enforcement of such laws.
No Comment! Be the first one.