Posted by While the Supreme Court makes its decision, the old N500 and N1000 notes are still accepted as legal tender in Jigawa State.
This was made clear in a statement that the state commissioner for information, youth sports, and culture, Ibrahim Mamsa, issued late on February 16.
A few hours after President Buhari announced on national television that the previous notes were no longer accepted as forms of payment, Mamsa made her statement.
The Jigawa State Government released the following statement to the public: “The Jigawa State Government wishes to inform members of the public that it has come to its notice that some individuals and corporate bodies are rejecting the now-old N200, N500, and N1000 notes.”
The individuals’ and corporations’ actions raise concerns for the Jigawa State Government.
As a law-abiding government, Jigawa State is one of many state governments filing lawsuits with the Nigerian Supreme Court. The court has issued an order prohibiting the Federal Government of Nigeria, either directly or through the Central Bank of Nigeria and/or commercial banks, ministries, parastatals, organizations, or any other natural or artificial person or persons, from suspending or determining or ending on February 10, 2023, the period of time within which the currently obsolete versions of the 200, 500, and 1000 naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The Jigawa State Government respects the rights of its citizens, and those who oppose the old currencies are urged to abstain from breaking the law and causing Jigawa State residents hardship.
The Jigawa State Government will not hesitate to use other existing laws and section 287(1) of the amended Constitution to enforce the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s order, The state government issued the following statement: “The state government urged residents to report any trader or business organization that refuses to accept the old N200, N500, and N1000 notes as legal tender to the nearest appropriate authorities in the state.”