AIRPORT BUILDING. AIRCRAFT, AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION, CONTROL TOWER, GBP5 NOTES.




Initials ERW/VS/BHH/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: NINE TONS OF OLD NIGERIAN BANKNOTES WERE DISSOLVED ABOARD AN UNMARKED DC-7 AIRCRAFT WHICH LANDED FOR REFUELLING AT LOME AIRPORT IN TOGO ON SUNDAY. THE TOGO GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT, AFTER REFUELLING. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRCRAFT PAPERS WERE NOT IN ORDER. IT'S EIGHT-MAN SWISS AND CANADIAN CREW WAS DETAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT PLACED UNDER AN ARMY GUARD.

THE TOGOLESE AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE BANKNOTES WILL BE DESTROYED IMMEDIATELY. THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT HAS NO PLANS TO BRING THE NOTES BACK TO NIGERIA, BUT IT WAS ANXIOUS THAT THEY "SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO HANG OVER THE INTERNATIONAL MONEY MARKET."
OLD-STYLE NIGERIAN BANKNOTES CEASED TO BE LEGAL TENDER ON MONDAY, FOLLOWING THE ISSUE OF NEW NOTES, IN A BID TO STOP THE BREAKAWAY BIAFRAN REGIME FROM BUYING ARMS ABOARD WITH NIGERIAN NOTES, CEASED LAST YEAR.

NIGERIAN BANKNOTES - IN SEVEN SUIT CASES - WERE ALSO SEIZED AT LONDON AIRPORT LAST SUNDAY.