Court Dismisses Suit Challenging Arabic Inscriptions On Naira Notes

Justice Yellin Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Lagos dismissed a lawsuit filed by Lagos-based lawyer Malcom Omirhobo, challenging the use of Arabic inscriptions on Naira notes. The judge ruled that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is authorized by Section 53 (1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) to print, design, and issue currency. The court emphasized that to challenge an act or omission of the Federal Government or the CBN, bad faith must be established, which the suit failed to do.

Omirhobo filed the lawsuit against the CBN in January 2020, arguing that Arabic is not one of Nigeria’s four official languages (English, Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo) and that its presence on the currency violates the Constitution. The CBN responded with a preliminary objection, claiming Omirhobo lacked the legal standing to bring the case. Three other parties, the Incorporated Trustees of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), its Founder Ishaq Akintola, and a Kebbi-based lawyer Umar Kalgo, joined the suit as defendants.

Justice Bogoro dismissed the CBN’s preliminary objection, affirming Omirhobo’s standing to file the action as a taxpayer and emphasizing the importance of encouraging public interest actions. However, the court ultimately ruled that Omirhobo did not prove that the CBN acted in bad faith, leading to the dismissal of the suit.

In response to the judgment, Omirhobo stated he had requested a Certified True Copy of the judgment and would review it to determine his next steps. He noted that the court recognized Nigeria as a multi-ethnic and religious country where no group is superior to another. Omirhobo also mentioned that the court suggested it might be time for the CBN and Federal Government to remove Arabic inscriptions from the higher denomination Naira notes, as they have already been removed from lower denominations.