Residents of Akwa Ibom, especially in the coastal regions, are being urged to stay alert as fake N1000 notes are reportedly circulating widely in local markets. This warning came from the State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, in a statement issued on Friday.
The counterfeit notes—bearing suspicious batch numbers 364232 and 898248—have been spotted across Udung Uko, Mbo, Oron, Okobo, and Ibeno Local Government Areas. These fake bills often feature blurred portraits, missing watermarks, and irregular security marks that may not be immediately obvious to unsuspecting traders.
According to Mkpoutom, the criminals target peak business hours in local markets to trick POS operators and merchants into accepting the fake currency. He described the act as not just fraudulent but deeply unpatriotic, warning that such schemes threaten economic stability at both local and national levels.
He called on residents to be cautious and report suspicious currency or transactions to the appropriate authorities. He also emphasized that security agencies are actively working to dismantle the syndicates behind the counterfeit operations.
