The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered the arrest and subsequent prosecution of all individuals engaged in the sale or abuse of Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau to place officers and men of the department and the bureau across the nation on high alert to carry out the directives.

The police chief noted that this was in furtherance of the federal government’s policy and drive to uphold the provisions of the CBN Act, 2007, and dignify Nigeria’s currency.

The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed this in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Friday.

The IGP similarly charged all supervisory AIGs and Commissioners of Police in charge of police commands and formations to carry out full enforcement of the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 of the CBN Act, 2007 which criminalizes amongst other things the hawking, selling or otherwise trading.

“And also the spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira notes, falsifying or counterfeiting of bank notes, refusal to accept the Naira as a means of payment, tampering with the coin or note issued by the CBN,” the statement read.

Adejobi further noted that the IGP reiterated the mandate of the NPF to enforce all laws and regulations without any prejudice to the enabling Acts of other security agencies.

He also ured “all and sundry to cooperate with the police as it brings the long arm of the law to bear upon all violators of the provisions of the CBN Act, and other extant statutes in Nigeria, with a view to having a well-policed society in all ramifications within the country”.