Gov Bello orders police to arrest anyone who rejects old naira notes

Niger State Government has ordered the police and other security agencies in the state to effect the arrest of persons who reject the old naira notes as a means of transaction.

The Secretary to the Niger State Government, SSG, Alh. Ahmed Ibrahim Matane made the disclosure during an interview in Minna on Monday.

He explained that the old naira notes are still valid and any person caught refusing to collect them for business transactions will be made to face the wrath of the law.

According to him,”The old naira notes are still valid and any person caught refusing to collect while causing unnecessary hardship to the citizens shall be arrested and prosecuted.”

Matane then enjoined people of the state to go about their lawful business and report any person who refused to accept the old naira notes to any of the security agencies in the state for necessary action.

The non-availability of the newly redesigned notes has led to hardship on the people as business owners blatantly refused to collect the old naira notes, while insisting on the new ones as a means of exchange.

Some residents who spoke to our correspondent, lamented the sufferings being faced occasioned by the naira redesigned policy, while calling on the state government to step in in order to reduce the plights of the people.

A resident, Mrs Chichi Obi, who decried the development, said on Sunday, sellers started rejecting the old notes, but the situation worsened on Monday as they totally refused to collect the old naira notes

Adamu Yarima told our correspondent that lack of new naira notes has made life so difficult for the people, “As I am talking to you now, there is nothing to take home for my family to eat due to refusal of the people to collect old naira notes. We are calling on government to help us address this situation”.

Also, Matilda Musa, said, “Nigerians are really suffering due to this naira redesigned policy, we are calling on both the state and federal governments help to us. The little money we have it’s difficult to withdraw and now sellers are rejecting the old ones. The question is what does government want us to do? Nigerians are dying over this policy, government should act to save the situation to prevent violence because tensions are high”.

Recall the Niger State Government has filed a suit against the Federal government on the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the Supreme Court.

In a statement, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasara Danmallam, said the case with suit number SC/CV/210/2023 filed on the 10th of February, 2023, with the Niger state government as the plaintiff, is seeking for an extension of the timeframe given by the CBN for the currency swap and withdrawal from circulation, the old N200, N500 and N1,000 amongst other reliefs.

He said, “in the affidavit in support of the originating summons filed at the Supreme Court, the Niger State Government contended that the unavailability of the newly redesigned notes has caused untold hardship and suffering on the inhabitants of the state, especially those living in rural communities across the state”