Jigawa Says All Old Naira Notes Still Legal Tender In The State

Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State has said the old N200, N500 and N1,000 naira notes are still legal tender in the state.

He said the three denominations will continue to be used in business transactions in the state, until the Supreme Court gives its judgement on the suit filed before the Supreme Court to challenge the deadline issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The State Information Commissioner, Bala Mamsa, in a statement said the state government was still in court over the CBN deadline.

The governor said his administration would take action against any individuals or organisation which reject the old naira notes in the state.

He asked people in the state to report any trader or organization who reject the old notes to the appropriate agencies.

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However, former chairman of the national human rights commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu has accused the state governors, who are challenging at the supreme court, the implementation of the naira swap policy of attempted treason.

The professor speaking on a television programme on Thursday, said they could not compel the president to concede his authority on the currency system.

Odinkalu said the president has constitutional powers on the issue of currency.

At the moment, he argued that president Muhammadu Buhari and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have not violated any order of the supreme court.

According to him, the order of the apex court was that the status quo should be maintained and not that the CBN deadline should be shifted.

The human rights lawyer also argued that the currency system could not be legislated or brought into existence by a court’s order.