Governors Order Arrest Of Anyone Rejecting Old Naira Notes

Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has directed security agencies in the state to immediately arrest those rejecting the old Naira notes.

A statement issued by the secretary to the state government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, stated that old Naira notes of N1,000, N500 and N200 are still valid and anyone who refuses to accept them should be dealt with according to the dictates of the law.

According to the SSG, “It has come to the notice of the government that some people and traders are rejecting the old Naira notes from the citizens, a development that is not healthy thereby inflicting untold hardship on the people of the state”.

Ahmed Matane warned that the old Naira notes are still valid and anybody found rejecting them shall be arrested and prosecuted, even as he called on the people to go about with their legitimate business and report any person who refuses to accept the old Naira notes to security agencies for necessary action.

On its part, the Kano State government has warned that it would revoke the operational licences of major business owners and take action on anyone who refuses to accept the old naira notes as a means of transaction.

Ganduje, who handed down the warning in a statement issued by the commissioner for information and internal affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, said the old naira notes are still legal tender.

He said the Supreme Court was emphatic on its interim injunction on the issue of old naira notes which would continue to be used as legal tender hand in hand with the new ones until gradual and final phase-out.

The governor said it had come to the notice of the government that some business ownerssuch as supermarkets, malls, banks, restaurants, hotels, traders in markets, filling stations and motor parks, among others, are in the habit of rejecting the old naira notes in business transactions.

Ganduje further observed that this non-acceptance by some selfish individuals is further worsening the already tense situation caused by the non-availability of the new naira notes.

“Business and economic activities are seriously affected by the naira redesign and unfortunately some self-centred individuals are cashing on the situation to cause further hardships on the people by not accepting the old naira notes during transactions,” the statement added.

According to him, the people have suffered enough untold hardship and therefore the state government would not fold its arms and allow a few selfish elements to worsen the situation.

The governor called on the people in the state to continue with their lawful businesses and report anyone who refuses to accept the old naira notes to the appropriate quarters.

Also Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has warned that the state government would shut down any commercialbank operating in the state that refuses to accept old Naira notes.

The warning is sequel to complaints received from the people by the state government that commercial banks and some filling stations were rejecting the old Naira notes as legal tender.

The governor spoke yesterday while addressing market men and women at Itoku Kampala market in Abeokuta, as part of his reelection campaign to Abeokuta North local government area of the state.

Abiodun, who frowned at the action of the banks, noted that since the new Naira notes were not available, commercial banks must accept the old banknotes to ease the suffering of the people.

He called on the people to remain calm, assuring that his government was working assiduously to ensure that the present situation was brought under control.

Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has said the shoddy implementation of the naira swap policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is political and has worsened the living condition of the poor in society.

He said the essence of government and its agency such as CBN is not to inflict hardship on the masses, but to cushion it.

Wike spoke yesterday during the official presentation of letter of nomination on the “award of Independent Man of the Year 2022” to him by the management of Independent Newspapers, at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

The governor said Nigerians were suffering as a result of the tactless implementation of the naira swap policy, and urged the government to urgently ameliorate the condition of the people.

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