Police in Anambra State has arrested seven persons in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra state and environs for hawking new naira notes.
Garba Umar, Commissioner of Police who paraded the suspects in Awka on Thursday said they were engaging in an illegal act.
Umar said the suspects were arrested in a sting operation, after officials of the CBN complained about the activities of the hawkers.
H said that the police in collaboration with the Department of State Security (DSS) and CBN carried out the operation, aimed at forestalling illicit sale of new naira notes.
The commissioner said that the clamp-down on the suspects was in line with the CBN Act, section 20 and 21, in which Section 20 sub section 4, makes it an offence punishable by a term of imprisonment not less than five (5) years for any person to falsify, make or counterfeit any Bank Notes or coin issued by the Bank.
“Section 21 sub section 1, makes it an offence punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months or a fine not less than fifty thousand naira (₦50,000.00) or both for any person to hawk, sell or otherwise trade in the Naira Notes, coins or any other notes issued by the Bank,’’ he said.
The seven suspects were arrested at Ogbogwu and the Building materials Market in Onitsha while two others who were also engaged in the same business were at large.
The suspects include Clementina Uche, Emeka Iyida Wilfred, Anthony Onyebuchi, James Odumodu, Petercross Olabuche, Apeh Ekene and Valentine Ekwueme.
He said that ₦4,304,550.00 were recovered from the suspects, most of which were new notes and others in small bills.
Umar said the command would charge them to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
He warned that spraying of naira notes at events, soiling, writing on it and squeezing it as well are forms of abuse.
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