Old Naira Notes: States, Police Clamp Down on Traders Rejecting Old Notes

State governments and the police commands have begun clamping down on traders and supermarkets accused of rejecting the old naira notes.

The authorities in Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Bayels, Zamfara and Kwara states had issued directives to security agencies to deal with anyone who turned down the old N1000, N500 and N200 notes.

The development was sequel to the confusion caused by the failure of the Central Bank of Nigeria to issue directives to commercial banks on the extension or otherwise of the February 10 deadline for the currency swap following last Wednesday’s Supreme Court ruling restraining the FG from enforcing the time limit earlier fixed by the apex bank.

On Sunday, the Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje directed the acting Chairman of Kano State Consumer Protection Council, Dr Baffa Dan’agundi to shut down Wellcare supermarket for rejecting the old naira notes in violation of the directive of the state government that the currency remains legal tender.

The chairman of the council made the disclosure shortly after shutting down the supermarket, stating that legal action will also be taken against Wellcare Alliance Limited, the owners of WellCare supermarket.

He warned other businesses in Kano that the state government had not banned the use of old naira notes.

He threatened that any shop owner caught rejecting the old notes would be dealt with decisively, according to the dictates of the law.