The Kogi State government has threatened to arrest and prosecute individuals and businesses who refuse to accept old naira notes in the state.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said in a statement that rejecting the old naira notes is a clear violation of the Supreme Court ruling.
He stated that it is unacceptable that some individuals and businesses continue to reject the use of old naira notes after the Supreme Court ruled that both old and new naira notes are legal tender until December 31, 2023.
The Commissioner asked the Kogi people to report anyone who rejects the old naira notes to security and government authorities for immediate action.
He also said that banks that refuse to accept old naira deposits shall be sealed as the State Government will not accommodate financial institutions that wilfully disobey court orders, more so, the orders of the highest court in Nigeria.
The statement noted that the Kogi State Government has set up a high-powered Committee to ensure full adherence and compliance to the ruling of the Supreme Court.
Members of the Committee are the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning; Commissioner for Information and Communications; Commissioner for Commerce and Industry; the State Security Adviser and the Managing Director, of Kogi Enterprise Development Agency.
The Committee is to ensure that our people take full benefit of the Supreme Court ruling on the old naira notes and ease the hardship they have been subjected to by the policy brought so much hardship to the people.