Family rejects old naira notes as bride price

A family in a community in the Gbako Local Government Area of Niger State has rejected old N1,000 and N500 notes presented as bride price by their daughter’s suitor.

The family was said to have insisted on the new naira notes.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has given January 31 as deadline to phase out the old naira notes.

Although prominent some people and institutions including federal lawmakers have called for the extension of the date, the CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele said the deadline remained unchanged.

A family member of the suitor was quoted as saying, “We took money to the family of the girl we want to marry.  They called me on Sunday to come and take the old currency notes back, pending when we have the new naira notes.

“They said they don’t have anywhere to change the old notes. So, I want to take it to the bank, pending when we get the new notes.”

Vanguard also reported that motorcycle operators, also known as ‘okada’, have started rejecting the old notes from their customers.