Nasarawa APC Candidate’s Wife Under Scrutiny Over Naira Cash Distribution
Hajiya Maryam Wadada, wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, Senator Ahmed Wadada, has come under scrutiny following the emergence of a video showing her distributing bundles of naira notes to supporters at an empowerment programme.
The video, which has circulated on social media, was reportedly recorded during the launch of the Hayiya Maryam Ahmed Wadada Aliyu Women Empowerment Scheme 2026.
The organisers said the programme involved the distribution of ₦325 million to 6,500 women across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State.
In the footage, Maryam Wadada is seen standing beside two men near a table containing bundles of new naira notes. One of the men appears to unwrap a bundle before handing portions of the cash to another man, who then passes some of the notes to Wadada for distribution to beneficiaries.
The development has generated reactions online, particularly because it occurred shortly before the commencement of the 2027 election campaign period on August 19.
While organisers described the initiative as a grassroots empowerment programme aimed at providing direct financial assistance to women, some Nigerians have questioned whether the cash distribution could amount to voter inducement ahead of the election.
Concerns have also been raised over the manner in which the currency notes were handled, with some commentators calling for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to examine the incident.
Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, prohibits the deliberate and wilful abuse of naira notes. The law covers acts such as mutilating, stapling, writing on, tearing, soiling, squeezing or otherwise deliberately abusing the currency.
The provision prescribes a minimum six-month imprisonment, a fine of at least ₦50,000, or both, for anyone found guilty of tampering with the naira.
The controversy comes amid heightened enforcement of Nigeria’s currency-abuse laws by the EFCC. In July 2026, the commission secured the convictions of 12 people before the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, after they pleaded guilty to charges connected with spraying naira notes at a social event.
The commission has also prosecuted other high-profile cases involving alleged abuse of the currency. In 2024, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was sentenced to six months in prison after being convicted of naira abuse.
In February, the EFCC also arrested Kannywood actress Samha Inuwa following an alleged video showing her wiping her nose with naira notes.
Against this backdrop, attention is now focused on whether the commission will investigate the video involving Wadada’s wife and determine whether the handling of the currency breached any provision of the law.
There has, however, been no indication in the report that the EFCC has opened an investigation into the incident, while the organisers maintain that the programme was intended as an empowerment initiative for women in the state.
The video, which has circulated on social media, was reportedly recorded during the launch of the Hayiya Maryam Ahmed Wadada Aliyu Women Empowerment Scheme 2026.
The organisers said the programme involved the distribution of ₦325 million to 6,500 women across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State.
In the footage, Maryam Wadada is seen standing beside two men near a table containing bundles of new naira notes. One of the men appears to unwrap a bundle before handing portions of the cash to another man, who then passes some of the notes to Wadada for distribution to beneficiaries.
The development has generated reactions online, particularly because it occurred shortly before the commencement of the 2027 election campaign period on August 19.
While organisers described the initiative as a grassroots empowerment programme aimed at providing direct financial assistance to women, some Nigerians have questioned whether the cash distribution could amount to voter inducement ahead of the election.
Concerns have also been raised over the manner in which the currency notes were handled, with some commentators calling for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to examine the incident.
Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, prohibits the deliberate and wilful abuse of naira notes. The law covers acts such as mutilating, stapling, writing on, tearing, soiling, squeezing or otherwise deliberately abusing the currency.
The provision prescribes a minimum six-month imprisonment, a fine of at least ₦50,000, or both, for anyone found guilty of tampering with the naira.
The controversy comes amid heightened enforcement of Nigeria’s currency-abuse laws by the EFCC. In July 2026, the commission secured the convictions of 12 people before the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, after they pleaded guilty to charges connected with spraying naira notes at a social event.
The commission has also prosecuted other high-profile cases involving alleged abuse of the currency. In 2024, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, was sentenced to six months in prison after being convicted of naira abuse.
In February, the EFCC also arrested Kannywood actress Samha Inuwa following an alleged video showing her wiping her nose with naira notes.
Against this backdrop, attention is now focused on whether the commission will investigate the video involving Wadada’s wife and determine whether the handling of the currency breached any provision of the law.
There has, however, been no indication in the report that the EFCC has opened an investigation into the incident, while the organisers maintain that the programme was intended as an empowerment initiative for women in the state.
