By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Alkali Baba, has directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau to begin the arrest and prosecution of sellers of Naira, as well as the abusers.
In a statement on Friday by the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Mr Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police chief said violators would not be spared.
He said efforts would be made to enforce the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act as the country boils over the swapping of the old banknotes for new ones.
There had been a scarcity of cash in many parts of the country over the Naira redesign policy of the central bank.
There have been reports of people buying the new currency notes at exorbitant rates, triggering anger in some places.
But the statement from the police today said, “In furtherance of the federal government’s policy and drive to uphold the provisions of the CBN Act, 2007, and dignify Nigeria’s currency,” the IGP has ordered the placement of place officers and men of the department and the bureau across the nation “on high alert and to carry out the arrest, and subsequent prosecution of all individuals engaged in the sale or abuse of the Naira notes issued by the CBN.”
“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 criminalises, 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 statement added.
It said Mr Baba has reiterated the mandate of the police “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 NPF 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.”
