The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has ordered the arrest and subsequent prosecution of all individuals engaged in the sales of Nigeria’s currency, the Naira notes.
The Police says it is poised to criminalise any act of hawking, selling or otherwise trading, spraying of, dancing or marching on the Naira notes, falsifying or counterfeiting of bank notes, among other abuses.
The Force says this effort is targeted at ensuring the 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 marching 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 Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
To activate the marching order, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer in a statement made available to CASEFILE on Friday, says the IGP 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 clampdown on offenders.
Senior police officers including Commissioners of Police are expected to place officers and men of the Department and the Bureau across the nation to curb the abuses on the nation’s currency, reportedly trailing the redesigned Naira notes and shortage of Naira notes in the country, CASEFILE can report.
CSP Adejobi noted that the directive is in tandem with the mandate of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, 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.
Below is the full statement
In reply, please quote;
Ref No. CZ.5300/FPRD/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.5/15 Date: February 3, 2023
The Director of News
…………………………….
PRESS RELEASE
SALE, ABUSE OF NAIRA: IGP ORDERS FCID, FIB, COMMANDS TO ARREST, PROSECUTE VIOLATORS
Tasks Supervising AIGs, CPs on Enforcement of CBN Act
In furtherance of the Federal Government’s policy and drives to uphold the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, and dignify Nigeria’s currency, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, NEAPS, fdc, CFR, has ordered 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 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 Central Bank of Nigeria.
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.
CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra
Force Public Relations Officer,
Force Headquarters,
Abuja.
