The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the arrest and prosecution of persons selling or abusing the new naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This is coming barely 24 hours after the CBN had through a statement issued similar threats, where it said that it would collaborate with law enforcement agents to arrest and prosecute those that sell and abuse the new naira notes.
This is contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Muyiwa Adejobi, where he said that the police are duty-bound to uphold the Federal Government’s policy and the provisions of the CBN Act. 2007.
FCID officers are to be placed on high alert
Adejobi said tha5 the IGP instructed the deputy inspector-general of police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) and the assistant inspector-general of police in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) to place their officers on “high alert”.
He said all individuals engaged in the sale or abuse of the naira notes issued by the CBN should be prosecuted.
- The statement partly reads, “The IGP has similarly charged all supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in charge of Police Commands and Formations to carry out full enforcement of the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 which criminalizes amongst other things the hawking, selling or otherwise trading, spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira notes, falsifying or counterfeiting of bank notes, refusal to accept the Naira as a means of payment, tampering with the coin or note issued by the CBN.
- “The Inspector-General of Police reiterated the mandate of the Nigeria Police Force to enforce all laws and regulations without any prejudice to the enabling Acts of other security agencies and urged all and sundry to cooperate with the Nigeria Police Force as it brings the long arm of the law to bear upon all violators of the provisions of the CBN Act, and other extant statutes in Nigeria, with a view to having a well-policed society in all ramifications within the country.”
The directive from the IGP is coming amid the scarcity of the new naira notes across the country which has caused further hardship to Nigerians that are already battling with the persistent fuel scarcity.
For the records
- There have been several reports, especially on social media of some Nigerians who have been selling the newly redesigned naira notes at exorbitant prices as well as spraying large amounts of these notes at parties.
- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier on Monday, arrested some members of a syndicate who were hoarding and selling these new naira notes.
- The Department of State Services (DSS) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had also made similar arrests during their different operations.