Ekiti State Threatens to Arrest Traders, Others Rejecting Old Naira Notes
- Ekiti State has joined other states in Nigeria, asking their residents to accept the old naira notes
- The state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, told residents that rejecting the old notes amounts to breaking the law
- He threatened business owners rejecting the old notes with arrest and prosecution
Ekiti State government has threatened to arrest traders, artisans, petrol station attendants, and others still rejecting the old naira notes.
The state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, asked residents to begin accepting the old notes alongside the new ones as legal tender and in line with the order of the Supreme Court, which said the old N500 and N1000 notes remained valid until December 31, 2023.
Source: Getty Images
Governor threatens to arrest those rejecting old notes
Oyebanji appealed to all businesses in the state to respect the rule of law and accept the old notes.
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The governor said banks should make the naira notes available in all their branches and pay points, including to traders, business owners; service providers, okada riders; drivers, filling stations; gas plants; supermarkets, schools, hospitals, and POS operators to start accepting the old notes forthwith.
“To do otherwise would amount to defying the ruling of the highest court in the country and thwarting government efforts at reducing the hardship of the people,” he said.
Punch reports that the governor made the plea via his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, and stated that the government would waste time arresting and prosecuting business owners who rejected the old naira notes.
He asked the residents to abide by the apex court’s ruling, which relieved the people and extended the shelf life of the naira notes.
He said:
“The state government had joined other states to seek the intervention of the Supreme Court in reversing the new naira policy, which the states averred had inflicted excruciating pain and hardship on the people in addition to crippling economic activities.”
The Ekiti State governor joins other state governors such as Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who asked residents to abide by the Supreme Court ruling and accept the old naira notes.
"You're disobeying the Law": Akeredolu reveals what will happen if people continue to reject old naira notes
Legit.ng reported that Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo State Governor, has criticised the state's continued rejection of old naira notes by traders and business owners.
According to the governor, rejecting the old N500 and N100 notes is a disobedience of the law.
In a statewide broadcast on Thursday, February 9, 2023, the Government stated that rejecting the old naira notes will inflict unnecessary pain on the people and businesses.
Source: Legit.ng
