The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the arrest and subsequent prosecution of individuals engaged in the sale or abuse of the Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A release by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said to give teeth to the order, the IGP has placed 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 on high alert to execute the order nationwide.
Adejobi further revealed that the IGP similarly ordered all supervisory Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in charge of Police Commands and Formations across the country ensure full implementation of the directive.
TheIGP’s tough stance, the FPRO, emphasised, was in sync with the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007. The Act, amongst other things, prohibits and criminalizes the hawking, selling, trading, spraying of, dancing or matching on Naira notes, falsifying or counterfeiting of bank notes, refusal to accept the Naira as a means of payment, as well as tampering with the coin or note issued by the CBN.
All these would be met with the full force of the law, Adejobi said.
The IGP, according to Adejobi, 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. He urged all citizens 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.