About twelve (12) Point of Sales/Service (POS) agents have been arrested in Calabar, Cross River State over money buying.
The arrest, CONVERSEER gathered was effected by the security agents from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS) and others who are going around the country arresting and prosecuting those hoarding the new 200, 500 and 1000 naira notes.
The clamp down on the POS agents, sources said was to force them to tell where they get the cash they are using to transact business.
It has been alleged by some Nigerians that some POS agents have been buying the newly redesigned naira notes from banks and money lenders because of that, they charge their customers exorbitantly.
The lamb down by the security agencies could be noticed on Wednesday in the Calabar metropolis as some of the POS agents were not at their stands for fear of being arrested.
According to Pillar Today, the security operatives stormed a community market at Ikot Ishie in Calabar Municipality and arrested about 12 POS agents.
The agent who pleaded anonymity said, “they have arrested about 12 POS attendants in Ikot Ishie, when they come to you, they will ask you where you are getting your cash from and how much you are charging your customer and also ask you to take them to the person that gave you the money.
“Some POS attendants who got the Information beforehand ran and left their stands.”
Another eyewitness, a neighbour to one of the POS agents that was arrested said, ”she was just here attending to her customers when three men came and asked her where she is getting her money, they asked her to take them to the person. But, sadly, this is happening, this girl has been helping us anytime our customers want to buy something, they withdraw money from her to pay us. Instead of them to make cash available, they are arresting agents”.
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In an interview with some POS agents, they accused the government of handling the effects of the problem rather than handling the cause of the problem.
Another POS agent who pleaded anonymity said, “that is the Nigeria we find ourselves, instead of handling the cause of the problem, they choose to handle the effects of the problem. Why are they going after us when all we do is reduce the stress of Nigerians?
“Let them come, I am waiting for them because I know I am not doing anything wrong. I got my money from my sister who supplies ice fish to market women and men.”
The report quoted an inside source from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stating that the exercise was to identify and stop POS agents from buying cash and charging their customers exorbitantly.
At the time of filing this report, efforts to reach out to the EFCC, ICPC and DSS for comments proved abortive.
