The Director-General of National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa Onilu, has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on its drive against all forms of Naira abuse.
Onilu gave the commendation in Abuja in a letter addressed to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede. According to him, the actions being taken by the Commission against Naira abuse amount to “preservation of the integrity of the national currency, the Naira”.
“On behalf of the management and staff of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), I write to commend the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and especially the Chairman, for the recent actions of the Commission with regard to the preservation of the integrity of the National Currency, the Naira”.
“The arrest of cross-dresser Idris Okuneye also known as Bobrisky over the abuse of the Naira accords with our objective to stop the abuse of the naira and other national symbols”, he said.
Already, the EFCC has secured 24 convictions across the country on the issue of Naira Abuse while those facing prosecution across the Commissions’ 14 Zonal Commands and corporate headquarters are 200.
Onilu expressed hope that the arrests and prosecutions would “serve as deterrent to other Nigerians who still abuse the Naira”, and assured the EFCC of his agency’s stronger support in the initiative. “Count on us strongly in this fight to stop the abuse of the Naira and other national symbols. It is our hope and aspiration that jointly, we shall win this fight,” he said.
Olukoyede had on February 7, 2024 raised a Special Task Force against currency racketeering, dollarization of the Nigerian economy, abuse and mutilation of naira notes at the Commission’s headquarters and Zonal Commands.