A video of Kachalla Balleri, a notorious bandit leader in Northwest Nigeria, displaying the newly updated Naira notes has surfaced on social media.
In the video, the bandit Kingpin is heard bragging that he has more than N10 million in the newly redesigned notes to purchase more weapons.
Ballari further mentioned that some poor Nigerians have not laid their hands on the new notes.
He said, “Tribalism will not solve Nigeria’s problem. Only justice will solve the problems. The poor don’t know what naira redesign means. Some of them don’t have N10,000. They live from hand to mouth. But for those who have millions; it’s their own cup of tea. Many of those poor have not laid their hands on the new notes. But those considered terrorists have them in bulk.
“We have bought weapons with new notes so that we can fight them. Now we are waiting to hear what they will say next. We are doing what we are doing for the sake of God and the poor we are living together, not the government. We have no problem with whosoever wishes to relate well with us.”
It is pertinent to mention that suspected members of ISWAP terrorist group were seen distributing old Nigerian Naira notes to commuters in the Lake Chad Basin region last week.
This development comes on the heels of frustrations from Nigerians due to the scarcity of new naira notes at commercial banks.
Scores of Nigerians who went to banks in cities and towns said they could not swap the old currency notes with the newly-redesigned naira notes despite the extension of a deadline for swapping by the country’s central bank.
In the nation’s commercial hub, Lagos, and other cities across the country, many lined up at ATMs for the new notes, with businesses grounded and commuters stranded.
Nigerians have taken to social media platform Twitter to express their concerns about this development. One @Odionmatics said; “This video shows that this move is hurting them. These bandits are not shy to show off the guns and weaponry. They would’ve shown the stack of bundles of the new notes if they actually have them, not the 10k person in this video. They’re flying kite.”
@Emsty4u also tweeted; “Y”all saying is not possible still don’t no your country? Just be here saying is a lie, if the new notes could be seen sprayed in a party whats difficult in bandit having 10m in their possession?? My people Nigeria is for the rich and those with connections.”
Another tweeter user with the handle @Lucywnda said; “How did they get the money? We joke a lot in this country.”
“A bandit leader in Zamfara shot a video where he was bragging of having N10 million worth of the new Naira notes while brandishing some in his hands. How did the new Naira notes make its way to the hands of terrorists and bandits while they’re scarce for law abiding Nigerians?” Twitter user @MrOdanz expressed his reaction.