The failure of Mr. Godwin Emefiele to employ the services of the law enforcement agents to lawfully prosecute prominent persons who obscenely break the extant law prohibiting the spraying of the national currency has made Nigeria appear like a banana Republic whereby might is right and the rich are exempted from the law.
Making the observation is the leading Civil Rights Advocacy body in the country:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) which reacted to the trending viral video in which the Abia state’s governor’s Chief of staff Mr. Anthony Agbazurere was conspicuously seen displaying ostentatious lifestyle by brazenly abusing the National Currency of Nigeria by spraying them on the controversial Onitsha, Anambra State based self-acclaimed prophet Mr. Chukwuemeka Ohanamere also known as “ Odumeje” inside the hallowed chambers of the government house in Umuahia, Abia state.
The Rights group said that aside the Central bank of Nigeria and the office of the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Code of Conduct Bureau ought to order the arrest and prosecution of the public official working for governor if Abia state for displaying a conduct unbecoming of the law and ethics of holding such a high publicly funded office in Nigeria being a nation that is governed by law.
HURIWA condemned the lack of interest on the part of Godwin Emefiele the Central Bank of Nigeria’s governor who has consistently looked away whilst the law against the spraying of Naira and other legal Currencies do occur and are circulated on vital videos.
The Rights group said the governor of CBN is only interested in being deployed as political attack dog of President Muhammadu Buhari to chase after suspected sponsors of the recently disrupted peaceful ENDSARS protests, whose bank accounts were unconstitutionally frozen but the same person has failed to bring perpetrators of unlawful and willful abuse of the Naira such as the self made prophet who has been reported to the CBN but the CBN failed to act because the governor allegedly allows big men to offend the law without repercussions.
“We hereby call on the Inspector General of Police Mr. Mohammed Adamu to salvage the nation’s waning image and to tell the World that Nigeria is not a banana Republic whereby some persons are above the law just as he is charged to arrest both “Prophet Odumeje and Mr. Anthony AgbaZuere the chief of staff to governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and prosecute both of them for abusing the Naira in such a brazen display of lawlessness. The reported suspension of the Chief of Staff is only but a political statement. The law is very clear that such offences must be prosecuted by the police. The IGP should act decisively and professionally”, HURIWA stated.
HURIWA recalled the propaganda news report that stated recently that the Central Bank of Nigeria under the leadership of Godwin Emefiele was ready to clampdown on anyone who abuses the Naira notes.
The Rights group said that according to the CBN, spraying of Naira notes amounts to “abusing the country’s symbol of sovereignty.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned that abusing and spraying of Naira notes may get you a jail term.The apex bank said it has started clamping down on the abuse of Naira notes nationwide.The CBN director of Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okorafor, made this known on Saturday, June 15, 2019 in Owerri at a one-day interactive session.
HURIWA also recalled that Mr. Okorafor said the abuse of the naira notes is a crime in Nigeria. He added that spraying the currency amounts to “abusing the country’s symbol of sovereignty.”He said, “We have begun the clampdown on the abuse of naira notes. It is a very big offence to spray our naira notes. It is the symbol of our national sovereignty”
“The law is very clear on it. When you abuse the notes by spraying them, you get a jail term, or a N50,000 fine or both.”
“We have told banks to assemble all the old or mutilated naira notes for reprinting. We have given banks three months to do that.”
In October 2018, the CBN announced that any Nigerian who sprays Naira notes at parties risks a six month jail term or a N50, 000 fine.
The apex bank also said mobile courts would be deployed nationwide to enforce the law.
Also in December 2018, the CBN threatened to arrest and prosecute Nigerians for abusing Naira notes with the possibility of jail time or an option of fine, if found guilty”.
HURIWA however expressed dismay that there have been instances of abuse of the Naira by prominent politicians but the CBN has spectacularly given the wrong impressions that there are sacred cows who can not be touched by the law enforcement agencies no matter how public and obscene the offences of spraying of the National currency appears to be in any kind of viral videos.
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