Court delivers judgement on suit challenging arabic writings on Naira notes

The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has thrown out a lawsuit challenging the use of Arabic writings on Nigerian currency.

Justice Yellim Bogoro presided over the case brought by Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo, who claimed that the inscriptions contradicted Nigeria’s secular status.

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The court acknowledged Omirhobo’s right to file the lawsuit but concluded that he did not provide sufficient evidence to prove that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) acted in bad faith.

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The court referred to the precedent set in Chief Gani Fawehinmi vs. Akilu (1998) and subsequently dismissed the case.

Omirhobo, in his response, stated that the court reaffirmed Nigeria’s secular nature and the equality of all ethnic and religious groups.

He mentioned that the court noted Arabic is not Nigeria’s official language and suggested that the CBN and the Federal Government should consider removing Arabic inscriptions from the N200, N500, and N1000 notes, similar to their removal from the N5, N10, N50, and N100 notes.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) praised the judgment as significant and insightful. Executive Director Prof. Ishaq Akintola expressed satisfaction with the verdict, marking the end of a legal battle that started in late 2020.