Two male suspects were apprehended by the Enugu State Police Command for possessing, transacting, and selling counterfeit redesigned N1,000 notes in a council area of the state.
The suspects were in possession of counterfeited 180 N1,000 notes with a face value of N180,000 (one hundred eighty thousand naira) from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
This information can be found in a statement that the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, issued on Friday in Enugu and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria.
According to Ndukwe, the feat was accomplished on February 2 at approximately 9:05 p.m. when officers in the Igbo-Eze South Division of the Command acted on reliable information.
He stated that the men Joseph Chinenye, 39, and Onyeka Ezeja, 29, both of Iheakpu-Awka in the Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, and Onicha in the Enugu-Ezike in the Igbo-Eze North LGA, were arrested by the police.
“Preliminary investigation reveals, among other things, that the naira notes in three distinct batches share the same serial numbers: A/34:282656, A/46:578759, and 8/93:852942.”
“In Benin City, Edo State, the suspects claimed to have obtained the counterfeit naira notes from an unidentified woman.
They also admitted that they tried to sell the naira notes to a Point of Sale operator, who turned them down.
He stated, “They were, however, arrested by police operatives at a filling station in the Ibagwa-Aka community of Igbo-Eze South LGA, where they used the naira notes to purchase petrol.” The filling station was located in the Ibagwa-Aka community.
Ndukwe stated that the two would be arraigned in court once the State Criminal Investigation Department, Enugu, consolidated and concluded its investigation of the case.
He stated that Mr. Ahmed Ammani, the state Commissioner of Police, had reasserted the police’s determination to locate and apprehend those who were determined to commit such acts of economic sabotage.
According to the police spokesman, the commissioner also urged everyone to support the police in their efforts to combat criminal activity and criminal elements.
He continued, “I want the good people of Enugu State to be vigilant and wary of who or how they obtain and carry out transactions with naira notes, especially the new naira notes.” This is especially important for the new naira notes.