Naira Scarcity: Angry protesters lock down Ibadan roads, set banks on fire
The scarcity of new naira notes, which has been a subject of discussion across major towns and cities in Nigeria, took another dimension on Friday when customers took to major streets in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to protest.
gathered that bank customers in Ibadan have been finding it difficult to withdraw money.
Our correspondent recalls that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had a few weeks ago introduced the newly redesigned N200, N500 and N1000 denominations across the country.
The apex bank had also directed commercial banks to fill their Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, with the newly redesigned naira notes.
The CBN also gave 31st January, 2023 as the deadline for the exchange of the old bank notes before extending till 10th February.
It has also directed commercial banks to pay customers the new naira notes over the counter.
Our correspondent however learnt that majority of the bank customers who went to withdraw money on Friday at various banks in Ibadan could not do so.
This sparked protests in some parts of Ibadan.
Some of the areas where the customers are currently protesting are Agodi Gate, Idi Ape and Iwo Road.
The protesters burnt several tyres so to register their displeasure.
A resident of Gate who spoke with DAILY POST said that the protesters were protesting their inability to withdraw money from the banks.
“Protests are currently ongoing at Gate and Iwo Road as I speak with you. They are burning tyres now,” he said.
A resident of Iwo Road also confirmed that the protest is ongoing.
“Yes. There is a protest here. People are currently protesting at Iwo Road over inability to collect their money from banks,” he also said.
Youths in their numbers stormed the streets of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday, to protest the current state of the nation.
Nigerians have been contending with fuel, new naira notes scarcity and erratic power supply for weeks across the nation.
Dissatisfied with the situation, the youths, armed with several placards, stormed the Iwo Road area of the state on Friday morning to register their grievances.
They were however disappointed that the Automated Teller Machines were not dispensing or given maximum amount of 20,000 naira cash while those who managed to enter the banking halls expressed bitterness over their inability to withdraw from the money deposited
P. O. S operators also expressed frustration as they could not withdraw old or new notes from the deposit earlier made before extension of the deadline.
In Oyo town, as hunger now looms in some families since farmers no longer accept the old notes from wholesale foodstuff dealers popularly called “alajapa” residents urged government to find urgent solution to the difficult situation.
