Again, Kaduna asks agencies to accept old notes as lawmaker seeks El-Rufais arrest

Govt warns residents against breakdown of law, order

In line with subsisting order of the Supreme Court, Kaduna State Government has directed its ministries, departments and agencies to ensure continued acceptance of payments in old and new naira denominations.

The state government also warned against breakdown of law and order, on account of ongoing naira shortage, warning that any form of protest is prohibited.

According to a statement issued by Special Adviser (Media and Communication), Muyiwa Adekeye, Governor Nasir el-Rufai said the laws of Kaduna State do not allow personnel of government agencies to be involved in cash collection.

“The collection agents authorised by state government agencies do offer citizens a route for cash payment, and are expected to comply with the subsisting court order.”

This came as Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the government received credible intelligence that various groups were planning to disrupt public peace through street protests.

He reminded citizens that such protests remain strictly prohibited and warned against actions capable of inciting a breakdown of law and order.

A statement to that effect added: “Security agencies have been placed on high alert and have been directed by the government to decisively uphold law and order.

“Citizens are, therefore, urged to maintain calm and remain peaceful and law-abiding, as they prepare to exercise their civic franchise in an atmosphere free of all forms of threat.”

Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, Samaila Suleiman, has urged the Federal Government to order the arrest of el-Rufai, following a state broadcast where he urged citizens to disregard President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech on cessation of old N1,000 and N500 notes as legal tender.

Suleiman, in a statement, called for stripping of the governor’s immunity and consequent arraignment for alleged treason.

He said: “The illegal, unwarranted and outright treasonable counter order made by el-Rufai on February 16, 2023, via his state-wide broadcast…was an attempt to be clever by half, by portraying that his (el-Rufai’s) outburst was done in the interest of the downtrodden talakawa and the rule of law, which he disdains so much by most of his anti-people policies as governor of Kaduna State.”

The lawmaker added: “This is indeed funny, coming from el-Rufai whom the people of Kaduna State and Nigeria have come to know as a public officer that lacks compassion for the masses. We, the people of Kaduna State and Nigeria, do not and will never suffer collective amnesia.”

“The same el-Rufai, whose second name is ‘Disobedience to Court Orders’, running to the same court he demeans, maligns and holds in extreme contempt! I do not have doubt in the ability of our judiciary to prove its worth, not only to Nigerian citizens but also to the entire world, by restating the famous principle that ‘he who comes to equity must come with clean hands’.
“Both hands of el-Rufai are not only soiled and dirty; they are also filthy, as far as the naira redesign issue is concerned vis-à-vis his track record of disobeying validly obtained court orders.
“In fact, the man el-Rufai does not have the moral right to approach our courts for any remedy, as he has done in this case by approaching the apex court, invoking its original jurisdiction over the currency issue.”