The ongoing scarcity of the Naira notes took a dangerous dimension on Wednesday morning as no fewer than three persons lost their lives following violent protests that erupted in parts of Nigeria.
Africa Today News, New York reports that in Benin City, the Edo State capital, angry residents, who could not access their monies in commercial banks, took to the streets in protests that led to loss of lives after security forces fired live bullets and teargas to disperse the unruly crowds.
The body of one of the protesters was deposited in front of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) amid sporadic gunfire and teargas from policemen and soldiers.
The protesters had attempted to break into the state branch of the CBN located along Akpakpava Street, a commercial nerve centre in Benin City, where most commercial banks are also located. Thereafter, they attacked some commercial banks located in the area.
At the time of filing this report, no fewer than seven banks were attacked by the angry, surging crowds that equally set bonfires along the major road of Akpakpava and other adjoining streets.
The angry protesters also unleashed their anger and frustration on any Automated Teller Machines, ATM, at sight.
Read Also: Naira Scarcity Orchestrated To De-market APC –Northern Elders
Some of the commercial banks affected include United Bank for Africa (UBA), Sterling Bank, Wema Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Zenith Bank, First Bank and Stanbic Bank, all located along Akpakpava street which were also set ablaze.
Shop owners along the area immediately shut their businesses and fled. It took the intervention of heavily armed combined security personnel of the men of the Nigeria Police and the military to disperse the protesters as they cleared the road of burnt tyres to allow other road users to pass.
Along Akpakpava, one of the protesters said, ‘How do you expect people to survive? People have money in banks and they cannot access it because of one useless policy. People don’t accept old naira anymore and we don’t have new naira, we don’t have food in our house, we are tired.’
Another protester said, “They are doing this to cancel the coming elections. We cannot continue like this; the country belongs to all of us. Why are they making us suffer for no fault of ours?”
The Edo State Police Public Relation Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, when contacted, confirmed the incident but said he was yet to be briefed by his men on the field before speaking authoritatively on the protest.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari will make a national broadcast today by 7am.
This is contained in a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina.