VDM’s lawyer Deji Adeyanju criticises EFCC’s selective treatment of naira abuse cases, defends Nigerian traditions
He calls on National Assembly to repeal Section 21 of the CBN Act, says it criminalises cultural expression
The lawyer slams EFCC for ignoring corrupt politicians, says anti-graft agency is too harsh on ordinary citizens
Human rights lawyer and social commentator, Deji Adeyanju, has sparked fresh conversations on social media following his strongly worded statement against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its handling of naira abuse cases in Nigeria.
Adeyanju, who is also the legal representative of controversial influencer VeryDarkMan (VDM), took to his verified X handle on Monday, May 26, 2025, to criticise the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, over his comments on ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
The EFCC boss had said Nigerians should not judge Tompolo over a viral video allegedly showing him abusing the naira.
VDM’s lawyer blasts EFCC’s boss over Tompolo comment. Photo: @adeyanjudeji/Instagram.Source: Facebook
Olukoyede described the act as a mere allegation that is yet to be investigated, prompting many Nigerians to call out the commission for double standards.
In a lengthy reaction, Adeyanju did not hold back.
He questioned the rationale behind Section 21 of the CBN Act, which criminalises acts such as spraying, writing on, stapling, or otherwise defacing naira notes.
He described the law as “outdated” and “anti-cultural”, insisting that it targets everyday Nigerians while letting corrupt elites walk free.
Adeyanju wrote
“After listening to the EFCC Chairman’s take on Tompolo, I once again call on the National Assembly to repeal the Naira Abuse provision in the CBN Act. It’s aimed at targeting the way of life, culture and tradition of the Nigerian people. Laws should be made to serve the people. People should not be made to serve the laws.”
Spraying of Naira is symbolic
The lawyer explained that while the protection of the national currency is important, the current law does not differentiate between deliberate destruction and cultural expression.
He noted that in traditional Nigerian settings, spraying money during celebrations is symbolic and not necessarily harmful to the notes themselves.
He added:
“What the law characterises as abuse is, for millions of Nigerians, a legitimate form of celebration. In practice, sprayed notes are not necessarily damaged or rendered unusable. They are often collected, preserved, and reintroduced into circulation.”
Adeyanju calls on EFCC to focus on corruption
Adeyanju also expressed concern that the EFCC has focused too much energy on naira abuse while ignoring systemic corruption in government circles.
He added:
“The EFCC is doing a lot to curb fraud and other financial crimes, but what we all want to see is them going after corrupt politicians and civil servants more. People in government are committing unimaginable corrupt acts. Some of them operate multiple accounts or use surrogates to loot government funds.”
He stressed that these glaring disparities have led many Nigerians to lose confidence in the EFCC’s sincerity.
“This is why many Nigerians don’t think EFCC is working — because almost all corrupt politicians and civil servants are free. The commission must change this narrative.”
See the tweets here:
VDM’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, criticises EFCC’s selective treatment of naira abuse cases, defends Nigerian traditions. Photos: @adeyabjudeji, @efcc/X.Source: Instagram
Adeyanju gets awards
TheTalk.NG earlier reported that Deji Adeyanju was conferred with awards at two different events.
One of the pictures showed the moment Adeyanju was awarded a medal, while another showed him addressing the audience.
Deji also stated that he was awarded for his service to humanity.
Source: TheTalk.NG
