Another round of protests have broken out in several states across the country, including Oyo, Delta, Edo, Ogun, Kwara, and Ondo over the scarcity of the new N200, N500, N1,000 notes and rejection of the old naira bills.
This comes less than two weeks after residents of Ibadan, Oyo State took to the streets in protest against the hardship triggered by the naira notes swap and fuel price hike.
Violent demonstrations were held on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, in Ibadan, Benin, Abeokuta, Ilorin, Udu, and Akure.
The protests were in reaction to banks nationwide refusing the old currency in line with a position taken by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), although the Supreme Court had ruled that the apex bank’s February 10 deadline be suspended temporarily.
The position has since led to a standoff between the CBN and the governors of various states, including Kano, Kogi, Kaduna, and Ogun.
IBADAN
There were demonstrations in different parts of Ibadan, such as Mokola, resulting in a gridlock along Eleyele/Eruwa road.
Cars were turned back at some point while some schoolchildren were forced to return home as a result of the protest.
Commercial activities were grounded as the Mokola Road was turned into a football field. Most major roads were deserted as many residents resorted to trekking long distances.
Some fish sellers took their protest to a private radio station in Ibadan, claiming that they sold all their products on Tuesday, accepting the old notes but on getting to the strongrooms to their bank to deposit the funds, no one was willing to sell to them.
Crowds were seen in front of the CBN office at Dugbe waiting to be attended to in the bid to change old naira notes amid heavy security presence.
DELTA
In Delta, the ongoing rampage blocked the major highway with bonfires and other objects at their disposal, destroying automated teller machines (ATMs) belonging to some banks in the area.
Angry youths protested the scarcity of the new redesigned naira notes and the rejection of the old notes by people.
The demonstrations first broke out at Orhuwhorun junction before spreading to the expressway.
Part of the buildings of banks were vandalised by the mob who hurled stones and other objects at the premises, prompting bank workers and their customers to scamper for safety.
BENIN
Protest outside Central Bank in Benin City.
I feel pity for the lady with the background voice.
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Warri, FG and CBN, Presidency, Buhari, Tinubu, Governors, Supreme Court, Ibadan, CBN Governor. pic.twitter.com/S6js7kxpCr— SIR LAW THE GAME CHANGER PhD (@ComedianSirLaw) February 15, 2023
Three persons have been reported shot in Benin City, capital of Edo State, when youths staged a protest against currency swap.
One of the victims was killed close to the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) Office in Benin, while two were said to have died at the Sokponba road axis during an attempt by the protesters to attack banks in the area.
Trouble was said to have started when some people came to the CBN to deposit their money in compliance with the bank’s regulation of depositing old banknotes.
It was gathered that while this was going on, an unmarked Toyota vehicle came to the gate of CBN trying to gain entry but was stopped by those who were already at the bank.
ABEOUKUTA
Commercial activities were paralysed as angry residents trooped out to protest the lingering scarcity of the new naira notes of N200, N500, and N1000.
The protest took place at Sango-Ota, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government area of Ogun State.
Residents who had been going to banks for withdrawal said they could not access their money.
They were said to have become more agitated when the commercial banks refused to accept the old naira notes as deposits.
ILORIN
Thousands of aggrieved residents of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Wednesday staged a peaceful protest over shortage of new naira notes and fuel scarcity in the state.
The protesters, who mainly comprise the youth, reportedly started the protest at Gerin Alimi and later spread to such areas like Oloje, Ogidi, Oja Oba and UITH, among other adjoining roads in the state capital.
The youth made bonfires on major roads in the town, which resulted in gridlock.
Men of the state Police Command were drafted to the affected areas to restore normalcy.
The state Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye, urged the people to remain calm, saying: “We’re in this together.”
FG and CBN should stop the game ????????
Protests in Ilorin over Banks rejection of old naira notes..
say no to violence!! pic.twitter.com/SVhDPFVM6E— Communicator ???? (@usman__haruna) February 15, 2023
AKURE
Similarly, protest rocks Akure, the Ondo state capital, over refusal of commercial banks to collect the old notes as well as pay money to customers.
The protest began at the First Bank, Alagbaka by angry customers who had waited for several hours without being attended to.
Other banks in Akure have shut businesses to avoid being attacked. Barricades were used to block the road.
