IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – A video of damaged Naira notes in bags has surfaced online, weeks after the announcement of the Naira notes redesign by the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele.
The video was shared by a Twitter user identified as Alakowe in the early hours of Sunday.
According to Alakowe, some guys are hoarding money despite high rate of poverty in the country.
He tweeted: “Another bag of damaged Naira notes was discovered after FG announced redesigning of New Naira notes.
“Some guys are hoarding money while poverty is eating some citizens deep; ENIKURE🖐️”
In the video, most of the damaged notes were in the N1,000 denomination.
This is coming as different stashes of notes have been getting steadily uncovered as unknown people hoarding the cash are returning the old naira designs before it becomes useless.
The video which is trending on social media platforms has sparked reactions from Nigerians.
A tweep, @Adetolaife4 laid curse on the unknown person who kept the money till it became damaged.
“Some people steal money and waste it, while some legitimately work and they’re not even paid their basic salary on time!
“It shall not be well with anyone supporting the status quo!!”
In the same vein, another tweep, @innocentnjoku9 wrote: “My God, what kind of wickedness is this, and I need money to power my failing business, and someone is holding this amount of money which has just gone bad. Ahh Some Nigerians are so so more than wicked. And an average Nigerian can even get good loan with good interest rate.”
@coal004 also weighed in, writing: “God will judge everyone behind this … I no get 500 naira for account and una damage money like this 🥲” while @vee_veeama1 said God will not judge anyone when we support them.
“God will not judge anyone of them when we bless them with our overwhelming support time and time again. God better face pple elsewhere who put in the pain , resilience and efforts to choosing good leaders and hold them ACCOUNTABLE.”
In another tweet, @vee_veeama1 stated: “My point is God will not do for us what we should and can do for ourselves. South Africa vehemently resisted oppression and were resilient, today they are better for it. Name one country in d world that has been free from bad governance because they PRAYED?! just one sir!”
@officialvikk wondered how the owner couldn’t spend from the stashed cash and keep the new ones.
“They’ve stolen so much more than they can spend. But why don’t they spend from the stashed cash and keep the new ones. How do u let money waste fgs?🤦”
@na_moore who also joined the conversation, tweeted: “And CBN governor is out there running his mouth about students going abroad for education, money is being abandon in different areas of Nigeria since the change in color of the naira what has he got to say (Nothing)”
@briticoibb suggested ways the stashed money can be put to good use instead of wasting it.
He wrote: “If you have embezzled money you don’t know what to do it. Secretly ask 100 youths to bring business proposals.
“Give no interest loan from 1m to 10m naira to return after 5/10 yrs.
“Instead letting the money damage, you will be doing something good with your stolen money.”
@ODGSLY stated ways the money can be kept without being damaged.
“If you want to hoard money, build a safe for it and put Ac so that it won’t spoil na. If you want to be evil, at least be wise about it. You can even clean the money by investing it on several things and people.”
Recall the CBN had announced that the new notes including the N200, N500 and N1000 would help curb counterfeiting amidst other benefits.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, Governor, Godwin Emefiele, on 21 November, insisted that the deadline for the new naira notes would not be changed.
He stressed that the January 21, 2023 deadline is sacrosanct.
“No, we will not shift any deadline, what we have done is not against the law; it’s in tandem with the law.
“We announced this programme on October 26, 2022, and we said upon release of the new currency, the legal tender status will run concurrently with the old currency till 31 January 2023.
“That is almost 100 hundred days, 100 days is enough for any person in any part of Nigeria to deposit his money in the bank and get ready to withdraw cash when the new notes are released,” the Central Bank governor explained.