..Syndicates Working For Them Apprehended
Barely twenty-four hours after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced the extension of the old currency by ten days, the Department of State Services has announced the arrest of bank officials behind sales of the new naira series.
The officials were arrested alongside members of organised syndicates involved in the scandalous activities.
The development was contained in a statement issued by Peter Afunanya, the secret police’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), on Monday, January 30, 2023.
The statement read in part: “In the course of its operations in parts of the country, it was established that some Commercial Bank officials are aiding the economic malfeasance.
“Consequently, the Service warns the currency racketeers to desist from this ignoble act. Appropriate regulatory authorities are, in this same vein, urged to step up monitoring and supervisory activities to expeditiously address emerging trends.
“It should be noted that the Service has ordered its Commands and Formations to further ensure that all persons and groups engaged in the illegal sale of the notes are identified.
“Therefore, anyone with useful information relating to this is encouraged to pass the same to the relevant authorities.”
In another development, after the CBN’s Bankers Committee meeting today, Emefiele instructed that, “No bank is authorised to pay out old notes again via ATMs or in bank branches over the counter. No payment of new notes over the counter. Banks are only allowed to release new notes via ATMs.
The apex bank’s governor added that, “Corporate organizations that require cash should only be given the old N100 notes and below. Corporates must not be given the new notes.
“EFCC/ICPC officials will accompany CBN examiners to inspect bank branches over the next two weeks to assess full Compliance with CBN guidelines above.
“Officials of branches that fail to comply or that release cash to Corporates and Politicians will face termination of their contracts and the respective banks will be sanctioned
“No branch should allow an individual with multiple Debit cards to do multiple transactions on ATMs.
“All new notes have tracking numbers to trace them back to State, Bank and Bank branches. So notes confiscated at parties and other locations can be traced back to the Bank and applicable branch.”
