E-Money was reportedly apprehended by EFCC operatives at his residence in the Omole area of Lagos on Monday night. The arrest is reportedly linked to allegations of naira abuse and violations of foreign exchange regulations, specifically concerning the public spraying of United States currency at a social event.
Taking to his Instagram account on Tuesday, Cubana Chief Priest vehemently defended E-Money, commending his recent philanthropic endeavors and particularly highlighting his Easter "Homecoming" celebration, which aimed to uplift communities in the southeastern region of Nigeria. In his post, Cubana Chief Priest suggested that E-Money's increasing prominence may have attracted the attention of certain influential figures seeking to curtail his growing influence.
"This is a guy who just did everything to push up Southeast with his just concluded Home Coming Concert this Easter. I knew they will come for him because they just saw his strength, they are doing this so they could break him so as to make him succumb in supporting them under duress," Cubana Chief Priest stated in his Instagram post.
He further asserted, "The oppression on us Igbos will never stop but let me tell all of you we will never stop. We don’t die we multiply more billionaires are coming up, come 2027 we will support & vote for who we want to, we wont be broken, we will even be stronger, we will reciprocate how we were treated with our energy, brotherhood, support, votes & affluence. #iam_emoney1 it’s nothing brother I have been there it will make you stronger it’s just like our Rolls Royce, 🦅 na location for the rich & famous na status symbol."
Notably, Cubana Chief Priest himself has previously faced similar legal scrutiny. On April 17, 2024, he was arraigned on charges related to allegedly spraying cash during an event at Eko Hotel in Lagos. He entered a plea of not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of ₦10 million. Subsequently, the charges against him were dropped by Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court in Lagos following an undisclosed settlement.
Cubana Chief Priest's public support for E-Money underscores the close-knit nature of Nigeria's socialite circles and highlights the recurring issue of alleged naira abuse and the EFCC's efforts to enforce regulations surrounding currency handling. The situation surrounding E-Money's arrest and the subsequent reactions are likely to continue to draw public attention.