IGP orders arrest, prosecution of hawkers of new Naira notes

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the arrest and prosecution of those hawking the new Naira notes

The IGP subsequently 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 to swing into action and bring culprits to book.

This was contained in a statement by Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Friday.

Adejobi said the IGP also charged all supervisory AIGs 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 said 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.