The Federal High Court in Lagos dismissed a suit challenging the use of Arabic inscriptions on Naira notes. Justice Yellin Bogoro ruled that Section 53 (1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) empowers the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to design, print, and issue currency, and any challenge requires proving bad faith, which the plaintiff, lawyer Malcom Omirhobo, failed to do.

Omirhobo's suit, filed in January 2020, argued that Arabic is not one of Nigeria's official languages (English, Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo) and its presence on Naira notes is unconstitutional. The CBN responded with a preliminary objection, joined by MURIC, its Founder Ishaq Akintola, and lawyer Umar Kalgo.

Justice Bogoro dismissed the CBN's objection, affirming Omirhobo's standing as a taxpayer but found no evidence of bad faith by the CBN, leading to the suit's dismissal. Omirhobo plans to review the judgment for potential further action.

The court acknowledged Nigeria as a secular, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious state, suggesting the removal of Arabic inscriptions from larger denomination notes for harmony. MURIC praised the judgment as profound and vindicating, criticizing Omirhobo's approach as lacking religious tolerance.