Police Chief Issues Arrest Warrants for Those Trading, Rejecting, or Spraying Naira

Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba has issued an order for the arrest and prosecution of anybody engaged in the sale or misuse of Central Bank of Nigeria naira notes (CBN).

This order is in keeping with the Federal Government’s strategy and determination to enforce the requirements of the CBN Act, 2007, and to improve Nigeria’s currency, according to a statement released by the Force Public Relations Officer on Friday.

Officers and personnel from the Force Criminal Investigations Department and the Force Intelligence Bureau have been put on high alert nationwide at the direction of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

Sections 20 and 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 make it illegal to, among other things, hawk, sell, or otherwise trade in Naira notes, spray, dance, or match on Naira notes, falsify or counterfeit bank notes, refuse to accept Naira as payment, tamper with CBN-issued coins or notes, and tamper with CBN-issued coins or notes.

“The Inspector-General of Police restated 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 the goal of having a well-policed society in all ramifications within the country.”