Markets in Awka and Onitsha on Friday were raided by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) in Anambra.
The raid was to clear out illegal foreign currency hawkers.
A trader at the Eke Market in Awka, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the condition of anonymity, said some hawkers of foreign currencies were arrested.
He said the DSS operatives also carted away huge sums of foreign currencies seized from the hawkers.
“We scampered for our lives when we saw them inside the market in the early hours of the day because no one knew their mission initially.
“They took over the market until later when we were able to find out their mission,’’ he said.
A senior official of the DSS, who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed the raid, said they acted on directive.
“We are worried that some commercial banks’ officials were conniving with the hawkers in the markets to destabilise the government efforts to the sale the foreign currencies at cheaper rates.
“The economy is seriously affected by the actions of the illegal hawkers of foreign currencies.
“Our objective is to bring sanity in the system and let Nigerians procure the foreign currencies at government regulation,’’ he said.
He urged them to go and secure licence to legalise their business operations.
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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