Bello orders arrest of anyone rejecting old naira notes in Kogi

Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello on Friday ordered for the arrest of anyone rejecting old bank notes in the State.

The directive followed Supreme Court judgment validating use of currencies of N200, N500, and N1000 old notes till 31st December, 2023.

In a statement issued in Lokoja by the State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo which was made available to journalists, the governor stated that anyone found rejecting old notes after a business transaction should be arrested.

Fanwo noted that Kogi State joined other concerned States to sue the Federal Government as a result of difficulty faced by Nigerians on the naira scarcity and got judgement last Friday at the Supreme Court.

He said government would not fold its hands seeing currency being rejected in the State, saying that a high powered Committee has been constituted to monitor developments across the State.

The Commissioner warned that anyone who rejects old naira notes after transaction did that own risk in the State.

“Rejecting the old naira notes is a clear disobedience of the Supreme Court ruling.

“Anyone who rejects the old naira notes should be reported to security and government authorities for immediate action. Also, banks that refuse to accept old naira deposits shall be sealed.”

“Since the banks are issuing the old naira notes, they are bound to also receive it. We cannot continue to kill our economy after the Supreme Court has granted us freedom.”