Osun Police warn POS operators, fuel stations against sale, abuse of Naira

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

Osun Police Command on Wednesday warned Point of Sales (POS) operators and fuel stations against the sale or abuse of the Naira notes.

To this end, the state Commissioner of Police, Kehinde Longe has set up a task force to arrest and prosecute individuals or groups engaged in the sale or abuse of the local currency.

The Command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, in a statement in Osogbo, said the Commissioner of Police has ordered Area Commanders, and Divisional Police Officers to carry out full enforcement of the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 of the CBN Act 2007.

The statement reads: “In compliance with the  Federal Government’s policy and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba’s directives to uphold the provisions of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and dignify Nigeria’s currency, the Osun Police Command is using this medium to warn members of the public who are into this unethical behaviour, especially Point of Sales (POS) operators and filling stations to jettison such, as the police command has emplaced the Intelligence unit of the Command to arrest and subsequently prosecute such individuals or groups engaged in the sale or abuse of the Naira notes issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“The Commissioner of Police has equally directed Area Commanders, and Divisional Police Officers to carry out full enforcement of the provisions of Sections 20 and 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 which criminalizes amongst other things, the hawking, selling, trading, spraying, matching, falsifying or counterfeiting of bank notes, refusal to accept the Naira as a means of payment, tampering with the Naira notes issued by the CBN.

“The Police Command therefore, enjoins members of the public to cooperate with the Police to ensure violators are brought to book.”