Old naira notes discovered in Benue useless – EFCC, Police

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Police have separately reacted to a trending video
of a discovery alleged to be that of old naira notes in Benue State.

Their reactions followed a trending video that has gone viral on the internet where old naira notes were stacked Ialleged that some old naira notes were stacked in a big container around Wadata market in Benue on Tuesday.

A voice in the video also stated that the discovery was made by the EFCC.

However, speaking on the viral video, an EFCC official who was quoted by The Punch on condition of anonymity said the sacks do not contain money as widely speculated.

The source said the anti-graft agency deployed its men when it got information about the discovery but on getting to the scene, it was discovered that they were condemned notes from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that had already been cut into pieces and squeezed.

He said, “It is true we heard information of old naira notes then we went to court to obtain a search warrant, on getting there, we found those condemned naira notes.

“The owner of the old naira notes said he bought them from the CBN. The old notes have been cut into pieces and squeezed, it is not money at all.

“I will send the pictures of the contents in the sacks that were discovered to you to see.”

Similarly, the Benue State Police Command in a statement released by its spokesperson, Catherine Anene said the purported naira notes were wasted papers obtained from the CBN.

The Police spokesperson added that the owner of the container when contacted also provided a CBN license for waste management which allows him to process the waste into mosquito repellants.

Anene, therefore, dismissed the reports about the huge discovery of old naira notes as misleading.

The statement read in part, “On December 13, 2022, at about 12pm, information was received at a police division, Makurdi, that hidden naira notes were recovered from police barracks, Wadata.

“Police detectives sent on investigation to the scene recovered wasted papers in a shop close to Wadata Police Barracks, Makurdi.

“The owner of the shop, Mr. Isah Suleiman, was invited for questioning and he tendered a licence issued to him by the CBN for waste management.

“He added that these wasted papers were usually gotten from the CBN and processed in mosquito repellents. Investigation has been extended to the CBN for confirmation.”