A video showing large stacks of Nigerian naira notes being displayed and handled in a room has gone viral after being shared by the account @Nigerians_New, which captioned it as “Tinubu’s Aide Ibrahim Masari Greets Katsina Residents with Multimillion-Naira Cash Gifts.”
The footage, lasting about 51 seconds, shows bundles of cash piled high on the floor of what appears to be an indoor setting with wood-panelled walls and television screens.
The cash is tightly bound in clear packaging, consistent with bulk naira notes prepared for distribution.
Alhaji Ibrahim Kabir Masari (also referred to as Kabiru Masari), a Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Political Affairs and a native of Katsina State, has a documented history of organising cash empowerment programmes through his foundation.
Recent reports confirm that the Alhaji Ibrahim Masari Foundation has disbursed significant sums in Katsina, including N300,000 each to 1,000 business owners in Malumfashi and Kafur local government areas as part of an annual initiative.
High-profile figures, including Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, and other northern governors, have attended or publicly praised these events, describing them as efforts to promote self-reliance and support small businesses amid economic challenges.
Masari, a long-time APC operative who previously served as the party’s welfare secretary, was elevated from Senior Special Assistant to Special Adviser on Political Affairs earlier in 2026. He has been associated with multiple empowerment schemes in Katsina South senatorial district and beyond, involving cash, equipment, and other items for thousands of beneficiaries.
The viral video, posted on 9 September 2026, has drawn mixed reactions online. Some users praised the gesture as philanthropy or support for constituents, while others criticised the open display of large cash amounts, linking it to broader concerns about poverty, the impact of fuel subsidy removal, and potential political inducement ahead of future elections.
Comments included accusations of vote-buying and questions about the source of the funds, though no official confirmation has tied this specific footage to an electoral exercise.
No formal statement from Masari’s office or the Presidency addressing this particular video was immediately available. Previous empowerment programmes by the foundation have been publicly announced and attended by government officials, who framed them as aligned with poverty-alleviation goals.
The incident highlights ongoing public scrutiny of cash distributions by political figures in Nigeria, especially in the context of economic hardship and approaching electoral cycles. Authorities have not indicated any investigation into the video at the time of reporting.
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