Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has arrested six suspects for allegedly hawking the Nigerian currency in Dei-Dei area of Abuja.

The suspects are: Auwal Yunusa, 22, Mohammed Auwal, 20, Yusuf Shuaibu, 31, Suleiman Saidu, 38, Usman Ibrahim, 24 and Mohammed Salisu, 24.

The Commissioner of Police in FCT command, Bala Ciroma disclosed this while addressing newsmen on Friday in Abuja.

The commissioner said the suspects were arrested during a raid by a joint team of the FCT police command, Department of State Services (DSS) and Central Bank of Nigeria`s Enforcement Committee on the abuse of the Naira.

He said that the crime was contrary to Sections 20 and 21 of the CBN Act, 2007.

Ciroma said the raid was part of the renewed effort of the committee to enforce the provisions of the sections of the Act.

He said the sections prescribe a six month imprisonment or N50,000 fine or both on conviction for selling, buying, spraying and squeezing of the Naira.

The police boss said that items recovered from the suspects include, N1. 948 million in N200, N50, N20, N10 and N5 denominations and a dagger.

He said the enforcement committee has reiterated its readiness to sustain the raid of identified areas where the naira was being abused.

Ciroma said that effort was being intensified to arrest other suspects who escaped during the raid.

“The suspects and exhibits have been transferred to the command Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation,” he said.

He said the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of
investigation

One of the suspects, Suleiman Saidu, who spoke with newsmen, said that he ventured into the business for lack of employment.

He said that he has six children to cater for and pay their school fees, adding that if he had other job opportunities he wouldn’t have ventured into the business.

Saidu said that he was not aware that it was a crime to hawk the country`s currency.