Naira crisis: Niger also heads for Supreme Court

Another state government, Niger, has sued the Federal Government over the deadline given to bank customers to change their old naira notes with the new note recently redesigned by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Niger has thus become the sixth state government to drag the FG to the Supreme Court over the matter.

Three states, Kaduna. Zamfara and Kogi, had earlier got the apex court to halt the CBN extended deadline of February 10 for the naira swap.

Kano and Indo state governments had joined the three states to sue the FG.

In a fresh suit, Niger State Government asked the Supreme Court to extend the CBN’s currency swap deadline.
According to the state government, the Federal Government has caused untold hardship and suffering on the inhabitants of the state with the Naira redesign policy.
It filed the suit marked SC/CV/210/2023, before the apex court on February 10, 2023.
The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasara Danmallam, confirmed the development.
He explained that the state government is seeking an extension of the timeframe given by the CBN for the currency swap and withdrawal from circulation of the old N200, N500 and N1,000, amongst other reliefs.
Danmallam said despite the CBN’s affirmation that there are enough new notes to go round, the Niger State Government is contending that the newly redesigned notes are not adequately available.
He stated that the unavailability of the new notes had caused untold hardship and suffering on the inhabitants of the state, especially those living in rural communities.