Naira Redesign: Police Investigate Ganduje, El-Rufai, Abiodun Over Incitement

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, on Wednesday, said the police are investigating some governors and individuals whose utterances are considered to have incited riots over the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Mr Baba made this known in Abuja while fielding questions from State House correspondents.

He was accompanied to the news conference by the Attorney-General of Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, at the end of Wednesday’s National Security Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Baba said those found guilty would definitely be prosecuted.

He maintained that the police were not in position to prosecute culpable governors because they enjoyed immunity.

Govs. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, had openly condemned and denigrated the implementation of the naira swap policy.

They asked people in their states to continue to spend the old N500 and N1000 as legal tenders.

“We all know why the governors have not been cautioned. We are investigating. Whoever does anything can be investigated.

“However, there are some people who have immunity. I think that is one of the reasons why they have not been cautioned.

“The immunity will not stop us from cautioning them; from warning them; from advising them; and we are doing so,’’ he said.

Violent protests erupted in Sagamu, Ogun state on Monday as residents went on rampage following banks refusal to accept the old N500 and N1,000 notes despite assurances by Mr Abiodun that it remained legal tenders.  

(NAN)