Okungbowa, who serves as the Chairman of the Edo State Asset Recovery Committee and the State Coordinator of the Public Safety Response Team (PSR), is known to be a close associate of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
A senior Edo State government official, Kelly Okungbowa, popularly known as Ebo Stone, has been caught on video spraying freshly minted naira notes on two strippers at a private party.
Okungbowa, who serves as the Chairman of the Edo State Asset Recovery Committee and the State Coordinator of the Public Safety Response Team (PSR), is known to be a close associate of Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The video, which surfaced online over the weekend, shows Okungbowa throwing bundles of cash into the air as two scantily dressed women danced around him, rubbing the notes on their bodies.
The party is said to have taken place at a high-end lounge in Benin City, which sources allege is linked to the government official.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act of 2007 forbids the abuse of naira notes, including spraying, stepping on, or mishandling currency. Violators risk a six-month prison term, a N50,000 fine, or both.
Authorities have previously enforced this law, notably in February 2024, when actress Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin was sentenced to six months in prison for stepping on naira notes.
In May 2024, socialite Bobrisky received a similar sentence, while businessman Cubana Chief Priest later settled his case out of court.
The video of Okungbowa has renewed public debate about whether the law is applied equally to politicians and private citizens.
Civil society groups, including Concerned Edo Youth, have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate and prosecute Okungbowa.
Joseph Gbale, the group’s president, accused the government of hypocrisy saying they harass traders and motorists under the guise of public safety while indulging in the same reckless behavior behind closed doors.
The controversy arises amid mounting public discontent with Governor Okpebholo’s administration, which is grappling with corruption scandals and an upcoming tribunal ruling on his highly contested election.
His government is still dealing with the fallout from the suspension of the Public Safety Response Team after the tragic death of two-year-old Gift Kelly Osahon.
The suspension of his Attorney General over corruption allegations and his ongoing clash with President Bola Tinubu’s administration over local government control have further weakened his standing.
VIDEO: Edo Asset Recovery Chief Kelly Okungbowa Caught Spraying Naira Notes On Strippers. pic.twitter.com/Bcaek8iHn6 — Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) March 16, 2025