CBN gets EFCC, police support to punish naira abusers

The Central Bank of Nigeria says it is working with the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to halt the abuse of the naira.
It stated in a statement that the operatives of the agencies would be used to arrest and prosecute all abusers of the naira.
The statement by the apex bank’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi, read in part, “There have also been cases where people mishandle the naira, deface it, hawk the currency at parties and reject the currency in some instances.
“The Central Bank of Nigeria is collaborating with the Nigeria Police, Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to address the unpatriotic practice.”
The CBN described the practice as unpatriotic, noting that Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 (As amended), empowers it to go after those “spraying of, dancing or matching on the naira or any note issued by the bank during social occasions or otherwise howsoever shall constitute an abuse and defacing of the naira or such note and shall be punishable under the law by fines or imprisonment or both.”
The CBN warned abusers of the naira to desist from disrespecting the nation’s currency or risk arrest and prosecution by law enforcement agencies.
“The naira is our legal tender and symbol of national pride. Let us respect it and handle it with care,” it added.