Protesters stormed major streets in Abeokuta in Tuesday morning following their inability to access naira notes in banks and Point of Sale outlets
Current Matters gathered that one person was killed during the protest although the police said they were yet to receive report of any death.
The scarcity of redesigned N200, N500, and N1,000 notes by the apex bank and lack of access to old notes have resulted in untold hardships by the masses in the country.
This comes even as the CBN governor, Emefiele had said that there would be no further extension after the February 10 deadline for the exchange of old naira notes to new ones.
It was gathered that trouble started when customers went to a branch of the Guaranty Trust Bank at the Asero area of Abeokuta, since 4am but could not withdraw cash.
Frustrated by the long hours spent without hope in sight,he protesters then attempted to attack the bank but they were ward off by the police
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi who confirmed the development however said the command was yet to receive report of any death.
He urged the people to shun violence saying it would only aggravate the situation as bankers for fear of being hurt could shut their offices.
Oyeyemi identified the affected areas as Panseke, Sapon and Asero, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has put all the Area Commanders on red alert as a result of the protest.
He said the deployment of operatives to the flash points is necessary to prevent hoodlums from looting people’s properties.
“People suppose to exercise patience. This demonstration will just aggravate the situation because when you are demonstrating, the bankers will have fear of being attacked. They will shut down and that will worsen the situation.
“The people of Ogun State should eschew violence. They should endure a little so that the situation will be brought under control.
“Nobody is happy that the scarcity of currency and other things is on. Demonstration cannot bring any solution to it,”
