Rita Odafe
A lawsuit challenging the use of Arabic inscriptions on Naira notes, filed by a lawyer in Lagos, was dismissed by Justice Yellin Bogoro at the Federal High Court in Lagos on July 16.
Justice Bogoro stated that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has the legal authority to print and issue currency as per the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act. The lawsuit failed to prove that the CBN had acted in bad faith by including Arabic inscriptions on the currency.
The lawyer, Malcom Omirhobo, had argued that Arabic is not an official language in Nigeria and having it on the currency violated the constitution. The CBN, in response, challenged Omirhobo’s standing to bring the case.
Although the court acknowledged public interest in the case, it ruled that there was no evidence of malicious intent on the part of the CBN and subsequently dismissed the lawsuit.
Omirhobo expressed his intention to review the judgment before determining his next steps. He highlighted the court’s recognition of Nigeria’s diverse population and suggested the removal of Arabic inscriptions from certain Naira notes for national harmony.
