OPERATIVES of the Rivers State Police Command and the
Department of State Services have arrested 13 women who allegedly specialised
in illegal sale of naira notes.
The women
were accused of selling new currencies to members of the public, who would
later spray them at parties.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, told 9JA NNEWS SPY in Port Harcourt on
Wednesday that a total sum of N2.9m of various denominations were
recovered from the suspects.
Omoni
explained that the suspects, who were arrested on Tuesday at Garrison, Rumuola
and Rumuokwurusi areas, were currently being interrogated by the DSS.
He stated
that Section 21, Sub-section 1 of the Nigerian Constitution had made the sale
of naira notes, coins and any other legal tender an offence.
The state
police spokesman pointed out that that the sting operation by the police and
the DSS was carried out in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Omoni
said, “On Tuesday December 12, 2017, men of the command and the Department of
the State Services, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, clamped
down on illegal naira vendors.
“In all,
a total sum of N2.9m was recovered from the suspects. Investigation is on to
ascertain the sources of the new naira notes.
“The
operation shall be a continuous exercise by the relevant security agencies with
a view to clamping down on persons illegally dealing in Nigeria’s legal
tender.”
Omoni
also cautioned against the act of soiling the naira notes, spraying them at
parties and writing on them, adding that security agencies would not spare any
person caught in such acts.
“The naira note is one of our symbols of national identity and should be
respected; or else, the long arm of the law will catch up with offenders,” he
said
No comments:
Post a Comment