The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged Nigerians to respect the national currency.
Naijaonpoint reports that EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said the crackdown on naira abuse is in line with the commission’s mandate.
Speaking with News Central on Tuesday, Oyewale stated that the naira is the symbol of Nigeria’s economy and should be respected by all citizens.
He, however, commended the attitudinal change of citizens towards handling of the national currency.
EFCC spokesman reiterated that the commission remains committed to tackling all forms of financial corruption.
His words: “Now, there is a special task force against Naira abuse and dollarization of the economy. The CBN Act is very clear about it. The Naira is the symbol, it is strength of our economy, and it must not be abused in any form. Whether by spraying it, by stamping on it, by tearing it, by defacing it, any form of abuse, the CBN Act is against it, and the EFCC is enforcing the Act.
“I’m sure you are aware that the Commission, as an anti-corruption agency in Nigeria, we have the power to enforce every extant law concerning economic and financial crime. The CBN Act, in this respect, is not an assumption, and we are enforcing it. I’m happy that you also have considered the fact that we are seeing behavioral changes in the way we undo our national currency. It is to the credit of what we are doing. And we want Nigerians to continue in that way. We must respect our national currency. It is a symbol of our economy. And as long as we do whatever we like with our national currency, you know it will have a kind of multiplier effect on the economy.
“So, the leadership of this Commission today is committed to using the instrumentality of the anti-corruption to stimulate growth in the economy. And one of the ways of achieving that is to ensure that we pay premium respect to our national currency by not defacing it, by not abusing it, by not doing anything against it. And, of course, the economy will be robust for all of us. That is what the Commission is doing.”