Tobias Sylvester
Jigawa State Government has ignored the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari on the naira redesign policy.
On Thursday, President Buhari declared that only the old N200 note would be recirculated until April 10, while the old N1,000 and N500 notes have ceased to be legal tender since February 10, 2023.
Reacting in a statement yesterday night, the state Commissioner for Information, Youths Sports and Culture, Ibrahim Mamsa, insisted that the old naira notes remain legal tender in Jigawa pending the judgment of the Supreme Court.
Jigawa government said that commercial banks, corporate organizations, ministries, agencies, and traders must accept the old notes or face sanctions from the state government.
The statement reads, “The Jigawa State Government wishes to inform members of the Public that, it has come to its notice some individuals and corporate bodies are rejecting the now-old N200, N500 and N1000 notes. The Jigawa State Government is concerned about the conduct of such individuals and corporate bodies.
“As a law-abiding government, there are suits by various state governments of which Jigawa State is among before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“The court has issued an order restraining the Federal Government of Nigeria, either by itself or acting through the Central Bank of Nigeria and/or commercial banks, ministries, parastatals, organisations or through any person or persons (natural and artificial) howsoever, from suspending or determining or ending on February 10, 2023 the time frame within which the now older versions of the 200, 500 and 1000 denominations of the naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“Jigawa State Government respects the rights of its people and those rejecting the now-old currencies are enjoined to desist from disobeying the law and causing hardship to the people of Jigawa State.
“Jigawa State Government will not hesitate to use section 287(1) of the Constitution (as amended) and other extant laws to enforce the order of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The state government urged residents to report any trader or business organisation that refuses to accept the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes as legal tender to the nearest appropriate authorities in the state.
Meanwhile, Buhari’s aide, Bashir Ahmad has slammed Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and his Kaduna state counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai, for criticizing the naira redesign policy.
