Current efforts by the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele is gradually beginning to yield appreciable results as the Department of State Service, DSS quashed a syndicate allegedly collaborating with some yet to be identified bank officials selling the new naira notes.
The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya who made this disclosure yesterday in a release, said that the security agency, DSS intercepted some members of organized syndicates involved in the sale of the new redesigned naira notes, adding that in the course of it’s operations, it was discovered that some commercial bank officials are aiding the economic malfeasance.
Against this back drop, the DSS warns currency racketeers to look for legitimate business as the DSS has already ordered it’s commands and formations nationwide to further ensure that all persons and groups engaged in the illegal sale of the new banknotes are identified.
Afunanya also disclosed that security operatives are currently on the trail of the criminals, masquerading as currency racketeers, and urged Nigerians with useful information in this regard to report to the appropriate authority for prosecution of the suspects.
It would be recalled that the CBN Governor while announcing the deadline extension to February 10th and extra one week widow for Nigerians who had naira legitimately earned, can easily deposit their legitimate trapped naira notes with the CBN in exchange for the new banknotes, said that CBN officials would work assiduously with the ICPC, EFCC and other security agencies to guide against sharp practices by some unscrupulous bank officials.
Emefiele who insisted that enough new banknotes are already in circulation to meet demands of the teeming population of Nigerians, warned that the Apex bank would not hesitate to sanction any bank culpable in flouting the regulations of the CBN.
The CBN Governor assured that the monitoring unit in conjunction with the security operatives would work round the clock to ensure that the the demonetization exercise is hitch free
