Nigerian Police force, Enugu State command has arrested two suspects for processing, transacting and selling of counterfeits redesigned N1,000 Naira notes.
The suspects, Joseph Chinenye, 39 and Onyeka Kenneth Ezeja, 29, according to a statement released by the police on Friday were arrested on Thursday, 2nd February at a Filling Station in Ibagwa-Aka community of Igbo-Eze LGA, Enugu State.
The statement signed by DSP DANIEL NDUKWE, Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, said the suspects were arrested following an incredible information at their disposal.
Parading the suspects, Police found counterfeited one hundred and eighty (180) pieces of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) newly redesigned one thousand Naira (N1,000) notes, with a face value of one hundred and eighty thousand Naira (N180,000.00).
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, who vowed to clamp down economic saboteurs, added that the suspects will be charged to court.
The statement read:
“Acting on credible information, Police Operatives serving in Igbo-Eze South Division of Enugu State Command, on 02/02/2023 at about 9.05pm, arrested one Joseph Chinenye aged 39 and Onyeka Kenneth Ezeja aged 29, both male and respectively of Iheakpu-Awka in Igbo-Eze South LGA and Onicha Enugu-Ezike in Igbo-Eze North LGA, in possession of suspected counterfeited one hundred and eighty (180) pieces of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) newly redesigned one thousand naira (N1,000) notes, with face value of one hundred and eighty thousand naira (N180,000.00).
2. Preliminary investigation shows, among other things, that the notes, which are in three separate batches, bear the same serial numbers of A/34:282656, A/46:578759 and 8/93:852942; while the suspects claimed to have secured the counterfeited Naira notes from an unidentified woman in Benin, Edo State. In addition, they confessed to attempting to sell the notes to a POS operator, who rejected them, before the Operatives arrested them at a Filling Station in Ibagwa-Aka community of Igbo-Eze LGA, where they used the notes to purchase petrol.
3. The duo will be arraigned in court upon consolidation and conclusion of investigation into the case by the State CID Enugu.
4. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, fdc, has reassured the commitment of the Police to fish out and bring to book, criminal elements hellbent on perpetrating such acts of economic sabotage. He therefore, urges all and sundry to support the Police in this quest, while being vigilant and wary of who or how they obtain and carry out transactions with Naira notes, especially the new ones.
