They were turned back by officials in the registry, saying their banks were no longer accepting the old currency as lLawyers and litigants were shocked, yesterday, when court officials refused them filling processes with old currency as legal tender.
Specifically, the account officials said efforts to pay in old notes was rejected by a certain new generation bank.
They restated that the only acceptable notes for filing of court processes in the Lagos Judiciary Registry remain the new currency sanctioned Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
One of the affected lawyers, who craved anonymity, confirmed that the registry at Osborne Division of Lagos High Court rejected the old notes and turned him back from filling his processes.
He said the problem is not with the judiciary officials but that of CBN governor, who is “visiting anarchy on the nation by jettisoning the Supreme Court order.”
The legal practitioner added: “Non-acceptance of old naira notes would be catastrophic to the nation. The highest court in the land, Supreme Court’s order has been flouted with impunity. It is obvious that the CBN, especially the governor, Godwin Emefiele, is ready to impose a state of anarchy on Nigeria by directing banks against the order of the apex court.”
The Supreme Court had issued an interim order on February 8, restraining the CBN from going ahead with the enforcement of its February 10 deadline for currency swap.
A seven-member panel of the court, led by Justice John Okoro, gave the interim injunction amid scarcity of the redesigned N200, N500, and N1,000 notes.
The order followed an application filed by Kogi, Kaduna and Zamfara states.
Last December, the apex bank introduced the new notes amid efforts to fight corruption, terrorism, counterfeiting and related crimes.
