Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele, to order the arrest of the co...
Human
Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the
Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele, to
order the arrest of the controversial Onitsha based prophet Chukwuemeka
Ohanaemere also known as Odumeje.
HURIWA wants Odumeje arrested for his serial
abuses of the Nigerian naira and other denominations
during his public ceremonies in Onitsha.
The National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs
Director, Zainab Yusuf on Sunday in a statement said it had resolved to write
officially to the Minister of Finance, CBN governor and President Muhammadu
Buhari to implore them to defend the naira against global defacing of the naira
notes.
“We have watched with disappointments
as this self-professed prophet Odumuje kept abusing and defacing the national
currency and both the Police and the CBN have failed for many months to stamp
their authorities and prosecute these serial abusers of the national
currency,”the statement reads.
“We ask the CBN to ensure that that
the legal provisions that should have protected the naira notes from abuse
which are today being observed more in the breach than in compliance should be
reversed.
“It is true as observed recently by a
patriotic citizen that quite disappointingly, CBN and the security agencies
have had their eyes glue-closed while the nation and its inhabitants suffer
from preventable abuses of the national currency.
“Just as we reaffirm and re-echo the
fact as stated by an observer that as it were, the law against abuse of naira
has been in place for over a decade, yet the CBN is still at the stage of
“awareness creation” and “sensitization” of the citizens whereas religious
houses are openly celebrating the abuses of the national currency which is a
legal tender that ought to be respected by the citizens and everyone in
Nigeria.”
HURIWA recalled that according to
Section 21(3) of CBN Act 2007 “spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira or
any note issued by the Bank (CBN) during social occasions or otherwise
howsoever shall constitute abuse and defacing of the Naira or such note and
shall be punishable under Sub-section 1 of this section.”
