The CBN warned in Abuja on Tuesday that those abusing the naira were liable to go to jail.
It warned that the law banning the “spraying’’ and the stepping on the naira, especially at social gatherings is still in force and offenders are liable to six months imprisonment or a fine of N50,000.
Section 21(3) of the CBN Act 2007 provides that mishandling of the naira is a punishable offence.
Principal Manager, Currency Operations Department at the CBN, Ms Ngozi Etim, gave the warning when she spoke with NAN.
She said the CBN was working with the police, the FIRS, the EFCC and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to curb the abuse.
She condemned the “spraying’’ of money in public, adding that the envelope remained the best and acceptable means of extending goodwill at events.
“Money should not be squeezed but be put in envelopes. Oil should not be allowed to touch money; keep it neat like you keep your clothes.
“You do not dirty your clothes and you do not keep your clothes on the ground, so, there is need to keep our naira well,’’ she said.
