IGP has ordered the immediate arrest of Nigerians selling and spraying new naira notes.
NewsOnline reports that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Friday, February 3, 2023, commenced the arrest of naira sellers and abusers across the country.
This online news platform understands that the police in a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said Nigerians selling and spraying Naira is in furtherance of the Federal Government’s policy.
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The police spokesperson said the operation upholds the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, regarding Nigeria’s currency.
Usman Baba, the Inspector-General of Police tasked the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) and the Assistant Inspector-General in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) to begin work.
NewsOne Nigeria gathered that officers and men of the units have been placed on high alert “to arrest and prosecute individuals engaged in the sale or abuse of naira notes”.
Similarly, IGP Baba charged all supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General and Commissioners in charge of Commands and Formations to carry out full enforcement of Sections 20 and 21 of the CBN Act, 2007.
The law criminalizes the hawking, selling/trading, spraying, marching, falsifying, or counterfeiting of bank notes; refusal to accept the naira as a means of payment, and tampering with coins or notes.
Nigerian police vowed to enforce all laws and regulations without any prejudice to the enabling Acts of other security agencies, urging all and sundry to cooperate.
The statement said the law will be brought upon all violators of the provisions of the CBN Act, and other extant statutes in Nigeria.