Crime
THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Awka, together with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Friday arrested one Oluchi Imo for allegedly hawking the naira notes.
Mr David Bille, the Cmmandant of the corps in Anambra, told newsmen on Friday that the arrest was aimed at forestalling illicit hawking of the country’s currency notes.
Bille said, “The clampdown on the naira vendors and sellers is hinged on the CBN’s Act, Sections 20 and 21, that makes it a punishable offence for any individual or group of people to hawk, sale or otherwise trade in the naira notes, coins or any note issued by the CBN.”
He said that the 20-year-old suspect was arrested with various denominations of naira around Dike Motor Park, Awka on Friday.
“The sum of N398,500 of various denominations was recovered from the suspect, where she displayed the money waiting for customers.
“We have commenced full investigation into the matter to ascertain the source of the naira notes and once we are through, the suspect will be charged to court,” he said.
Bille further said that NSCDC and CBN would continue to clampdown on perpetrators of the offence in the state.
He said that the offence was punishable under the CBN Act 2007 and carries a minimum of six months jail term or fine of not less than N50,000 or both.
“Acts of spraying the naira notes on occasions, soiling and writing on the naira, squeezing the naira as well as hawking and selling of the country’s currency notes, are abuses of the naira and are punishable by law,” he said.
He therefore admonished Nigerians to desist from the abuse of the naira, saying that “the currency is one of the symbols of our national identity.” (NAN)
– Sept. 27, 2019 @ 14:45 GMT |
Tags: NSCDC nab woman for alleged hawking of naira notes
