BY Claire Mom
The scarcity of new naira notes has seen many Nigerians across the country take to the streets in protest.
On Wednesday, protests broke out in Edo, Delta, Rivers, Ondo, and Oyo states.
Pictures and videos shared on social media showed bonfires, a burnt automated teller machine (ATM), motorists in gridlocks and stranded commuters as protesters blocked major roads and set tyres ablaze in the affected states.
In Ondo, market women and youths trooped out to the streets of Akure, Ondo town, Ikare-Akoko and Owo to protest the effects of naira scarcity.
Protesters blocked bank locations in Owo and Akure, causing gridlocks for several hours.
Security operatives were seen stationed at banks while others patrolled the streets.
Several commercial banks which earlier opened for business were hurriedly closed as their staffers fled their duty posts for fear of being attacked.
Tobechukwu Nebeolisa, a protester in Benin, capital of Edo, told TheCable that the naira scarcity affected his travel plans as motorists in parks are no longer accepting old notes or bank transfers.
“This whole new naira redesign is ‘crazy’. I’ve not been able to use my bank app or USSD to make transactions either so the only option left is to go to the bank,” Nebeolisa said.
“Meanwhile, the only cash they were letting people withdraw was N5000. Yesterday, they made it N3000. I went to the bank today and they told me there’s no money, can you imagine?
“I just left the bank. I was so angry. I told them I wasn’t leaving till I got transport to leave then the manager came out and gave me N500.”
In Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, Samuel Emmanuel, a resident, said the protest has caused a gridlock.
“Right now there’s traffic around Irunmole, the situation is not funny at all,” Emmanuel told TheCable.
Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta and vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the burning of an ATM gallery in his state as “deeply concerning”.
“The news of the bank’s ATM gallery being set ablaze during a protest in Orhuwhorun Community, Udu Local Government Area is deeply concerning,” he said.
“While I understand the difficulties many of you are going through, I implore all citizens to remain peaceful during these trying times.
“We are fully aware of your concerns and the difficulties you face, but we strongly advise against resorting to violence, such as burning down banks that employ our people. Such actions will only exacerbate the problem and could have far-reaching consequences for our nation.”
Anger and frustration over the scarcity of naira have been building since the beginning of February when residents of Oyo state mounted roadblocks and set up bonfires to protest the situation as well as the scarcity of petrol.
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