A 25-year old woman, Oluchi Faith Imo was on Friday, arrested by the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for hawking N3, 98, 500.00 naira notes in Awka, Anambra state.
The suspect was arrested in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with various denominations of naira around Dike Motor Park, in the state capital.
Addressing newsmen in Awka, NSCDC Commandant, Anambra State Command, Mr David Bille, said the arrest was aimed at forestalling illicit sales of the country’s currency notes.
He said, “A female suspect Oluchi Faith Imo, aged 20years was arrested by my personnel with a total sum of N3, 98, 500.00 consisting of various denominations which she displayed waiting for customers.
“The clampdown on the naira vendors and sellers is hinged on the CBN’s Act, Sections 20 and 21 that make it a punishable offense for any individual or group of people to hawk, sale or otherwise trade in the naira notes, coins or any note issued by the CBN.
“We have commenced full investigations into the matter to ascertain the source of the naira notes and once we are through, the suspect will be charged to court.”
Bille assured that NSCDC and the CBN would continue the clampdown on the perpetrators which he said, was punishable under the CBN Act 2007 and carries not less than six months jail term or fine of not less than N50, 000 or both.
“Acts of spraying the naira notes at occasions, soiling and writing on the naira, squeezing the naira, as well as hawking and selling of the country’s currency notes, are abuses of the naira and are punishable by law,” he added.
The NSCDC boss appealed to the general public to desist from acts of abuse of the naira, stressing that the currency was one of the symbols of Nigeria’s identity.