Naira scarcity: 3 feared killed as violent protests rock Edo, Delta, Oyo

Three persons were allegedly feared killed on Wednesday in Benin City, Edo State capital following the violent protests that erupted in several parts of Benin City over  the scarcity of new redesigned naira notes and the rejection of old notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), traders and others in the state.

The protesters blocked ever busy Ring Road, Akpakpava Road, Ramat Park, Five Junction by Urubi, Ugbowo road, Ekewan road and the adjoining streets in Benin City.

 

Daily Champion observed that the protests caused heavy traffic gridlock as the angry protesters made bonfires on the roads and attacked First Bank, GT Bank,  UBA, Eco Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Bank and others all in Benin City.

 

But it took the intervention of the military personnel who drove across the City to restore normalcy.

 

The protesters, despite the presence of the security personnel, regrouped and became more violent leading to the alleged killings of three persons by security operatives.

 

Speaking to newsmen on the incident, one of the protesters, Godwin Osemwingie, said he was so frustrated when he went out to buy things with his old naira notes but was told by the seller that the old naira notes were no longer legal tender in the country.

 

According to him, “The problem right now is that I went to the bank to deposit my old naira notes, they said they are not accepting it and even the bus drivers are also rejecting it.

 

“You cannot buy anything. I just went to the Bank, look at the money, this is Nigeria money and they are rejecting it. How do they want us to survive? We can’t buy and we can’t sell.

 

“Even the CBN has rejected the old money from us, why? That is why we are protesting.

 

“Look, all these money in my hands are now wasted. We can’t even board vehicle now. We need our old money back. I am going to Upper Sakponba and I want to trek to the place now, no money.”

 

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor could not be reached for comment on the alleged number of deaths from the protest

Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Wednesday asked security agents to arrest his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, over the naira scarcity protest which led to the death of some persons.

 

Briefing newsmen in Benin, the state capital, Obaseki, who spoke through the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said from prelimiary investigations, the protest was politically motivated.

 

He said the call for Oshiomhole’s arrest and questioning became necessary following a viral video where the former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) instigated the people to go on rampage.

 

“We have been around the city all day, speaking with some of the protesters and we have done our investigations. We discovered that it is more than meets the eye.

 

“At this juncture, we will like to call on security agencies to call Adams Oshiomhole for questioning. He should be arrested and made to account for his movement in the last few days especially here in Benin City. Oshiomhole deliberately instigated the protest of the people.

 

He alleged that Oshiomhole instigated the violence to destroy government properties in such a way “to bring anarchy to our city because his government is about to lose the forthcoming general elections”, adding that the states which riot took place were PDP control states.

 

But contrary to his claim, riots also broke out in Ondo, which is governed by the ruling APC.

 

“I know people will think the protest is as a result of lack of naira notes but even if that is the case, Nigerians should know which political party is involved because it is ironic the political party that is responsible for this policy is the same party sending people to destroy PDP billboards,” Nehikhare said.

 

In his response, Oshiomhole’s spokesman, Victor Oshioke, denied the allegation, saying Oshiomhole is busy campaigning for the APC presidential candidate and himself.

 

The former governor is the APC candidate for the February 25 election in Edo North Senatorial district.

 

“Oshiomhole has no time to call for violence because the people of Edo love him. Obaseki and his people are rattled and nervous by the growing acceptance Oshiomhole gets any where he goes to in the state.

 

“They want to blackmail him because they have seen his acceptance after almost eight years in government against Obaseki’s government who had failed woefully. The people are happy with Oshiomhole because of his performance which Obaseki can’t match, and they want to distract him” he said.

 

He said Oshiomhole didn’t made any inciting statement to suggest that anybody should riot, adding that he is busy campaigning to Edo North people for his senatorial ambition.

 

“If Oshiomhole could not instigate people in past elections, while would he now instigate violence now that he is contesting and the people are with him. In Etsako where he is campaigning, there is no riot. And Obaseki is from Benin, so, he should check himself” he stated.

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has urged for calm among residents of Edo State, as security operatives have been deployed to protect banking assets in the state to ensure the disbursement of cash to citizens.

 

The governor made the call while addressing journalists at the Government House in Benin City, on Wednesday, after a closed-door meeting with heads of security agencies in the state.

 

Obaseki expressed displeasure over the protests in Benin City, the state capital, adding that the state government will do its best to ensure that residents in the state are able to withdraw their cash from the banks in the state.

 

He noted, “We just concluded our security council meeting over the incident that took place in our city today. It’s something we are concerned and very sad about. It is just a culmination of the pains and sufferings expressed by our citizens.

 

“As a government, we tried to do as much as we could have, to make sure that citizens are able to draw cash deposited in their accounts, and unfortunately, that has not happened the way we expected and it has led to some agitations and concerns by people in the city.

 

“From what happened today, we can tell clearly that the people who undertook the damages of banks and banking assets were not depositors as many of them were area boys. We met and resolved to restore security to the state and the banking institutions. Security men have been deployed and will remain in banking premises to keep calm.”

 

The governor added, “We are putting pressure on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) authorities to do what they should do to release cash to citizens and have requested for security to do so.

 

The plan is that from tomorrow morning, security men would give support for disbursement of cash through POS operators in our markets and as soon as they can restore safety and sanity to the banks, then the bank will open to disburse cash to citizens.

 

“We want all citizens to be vigilant to make sure the situation is not hijacked so that things will not go out of control. We feel the pain of our people and as a government, we would continue to do everything we can to reduce the pain our people are going through.”

 

Also, the Lagos State Government wishes to put on record the patience and calmness of Lagosians following the controversy generated by the Naira shortage crisis.

 

The State Government has joined the dispute at the Supreme Court, which today adjourned the hearing of the matter till February 22. When the matter first came up on February 8, the apex court said the old notes remained legal tender.

 

That position has not changed. The State Government hereby warns those rejecting the old notes to desist from doing so or face prosecution. It is against the law to reject the old notes as doing so is contrary to the position of the Supreme Court.

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu urges Lagosians to remain law-abiding and shun mischief makers who may exploit this temporary situation to promote their anti-people agenda. He is confident that the Judiciary will resolve all the issues around the currency shortage crisis.

 

To cushion the effect of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive on the old notes, especially on the vulnerable among us, Lagos State has started the distribution of the food packs promised by the Governor. The 50% fares slash on all state transportation facilities continues, as directed by Mr Governor.

 

However, Traders across major markets in Ibadan,Oyo State, on Wednesday staged a protest, calling on both the Federal and State Governments to prevail on commercial banks in the state to collect old naira notes from them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that traders from Bode, Molete, Oja-Oba, Oje Markets, among others, in their hundreds, trooped to the major roads in the city, chanting unpleasant songs against the new naira policy.

The protesters, carrying leaves, symbolising the peaceful nature of the protest, trekked to the frontage of the state Secretariat at Agodi, demanding to see Gov. Seyi Makinde.

A protester, Mrs Monsurat Dekunle, narrating her ordeals, said she went to her bank on Tuesday afternoon to deposit N250,000 old notes, but the bank refused to allow her make the deposit.

According to Dekunle, the cashier told her that what she brought had ceased to be legal tender since Feb. 10.

She called on the state governor to intervene by prevailing on all commercial banks operating in the state not to reject the old naira notes.

Also, Mr Awojobi Eniola, said he went to one of the commercial banks to pay for his goods with N300,000 cash over the counter, but the cashier told him that the bank had been instructed not to collect the old naira notes.

Eniola urged the management of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the relevant authorities to have a rethink on such instruction to avoid anarchy in the country.

NAN reports that Mr Moses Adeyanju, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA), addressed the protesters on behalf of the state government.

Adeyanju pleaded with the protesters to remain calm.

He promised to deliver their messages and demands to the governor, whom he said was “currently on the field of campaign in Oke-Ogun zone”.

 

However, Governor of Delta and Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa has appealed to citizens of the state and Nigerians to remain calm amidst scarcity of the new naira notes in the country.

 

The governor’s appeal is coming on the heals of protests by some citizens of the state at Orhuwhorun Community in Udu Local Government Area of the state where a bank’s ATM gallery was reportedly torched.

 

Okowa’s appeal was contained in a statement by the State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu in Asaba.

 

He called on the people to remain calm while also appealing to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the monetary authorities to take further steps in increasing the money supply in the system.

 

“We appeal to our brothers and sisters across the state to keep calm in spite of the current travails they are going through as a result of the scarcity of naira notes in the country.

 

“As a government we are not unaware of your sufferings but we appeal to you to be patient with the monetary authorities as they take steps to improve on the money supply in the country.

 

“We are very much aware of Your pains and converns, but burning down a bank that employs our people will not augur well for us as a nation even as it will not also solve the problem but will further compound the situation.

 

“Once again we appeal to you all to sheath your swords while we continue to engage the CBN to ensure more funds are released to the banks in the country,” he stated.

Also, Governor of Oyo State, ‘Seyi Makinde, has again, called on residents of the state to demonstrate restraints over the biting hardship occasioned by the Naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), noting that violence would not solve the problem on the ground.

 

This is just as Security Commanders in the state have declared that they would be firm against hoodlums who might try to hijack the peaceful protests by Oyo State residents over the ongoing scarcity of new Naira notes.

 

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that while the governor addressed residents of the state from Igbojaye, Itesiwaju Local Government, where he is concluding a three-day stretch of campaigning in the four local governments in Iseyin Federal Constituency, the Security Commanders spoke in Ibadan, after an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the state capital, on Wednesday.

 

According to the statement, Governor Makinde appealed to residents of the state, some of whom engaged in protests across some locations in Ibadan earlier on Wednesday, saying that though it was the right of everyone to protest peacefully, they should be wary of hoodlums who might hijack the protests and cause a breakdown of peace and order.

 

The governor maintained that the situation Nigerians have found themselves in is rather unfortunate, stating that as good as the Naira redesign policy is, its timing  is completely wrong and that the state government has engaged the Federal Government on the matter.

 

He, however, called on Oyo State residents not to resort to violence, as according to him,  the state would not like to lose any soul to the crisis.

 

He further noted that residents of the state should rather react with their votes on February 25, 2023, as according to him, it is important to stay alive and bring about a change of government than engage in violence that cannot help anyone.

 

The governor added that apart from palliative measures already being put in place by the state government, practical engagements are also ongoing to resolve the crisis and ensure that normalcy returns.

 

He said: “Like I said earlier, peaceful protest is the right of everyone but once it becomes violent and violates the peace of other people, it has become something else. And I can say that where the rights of protesters stop is where the right of some others begin.

 

“Yes, we have found ourselves in a very unfortunate situation but violence will not solve the problem. So, I want to appeal to our people because we don’t want to lose a single soul to this crisis. “Palliatives are going in Oyo State and there are few things we have promised to do on this.

 

“We all have the opportunity to speak through our votes in 10 days time and it is someone who is alive that will enjoy what the new government will offer the people.

 

“So, please, I like to urge the protesters to go back to their various homes. Once the protest turns into violence, the security personnel also have the right to protect the lives of other people. It is not as if those that are not protesting are happy about the situation we are faced with, but it is because there are several ways to address whatever issue we are contending with.”

 

While speaking on behalf of the Security Commanders serving in Oyo State, after an on -the-spot-assessment of trouble spots in Ibadan, the Special Adviser on Security to Governor Makinde, CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd), said that the Commanders were able to douse the tension in the state capital by appealing to protesters on the need for calm and non-violent engagement.

 

He maintained that though the Security Agencies could see the genuine grievances of the people, they appealed to them to be cautious so that hoodlums and political interests do not hijack their peaceful protests and cause violence and unrest in the state.

 

He said: “This is just an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in Ibadan. Going round the places, we took off from Aleshinloye area up to Eleyele through junction of Ologuneru up to Ijokodo, Sango, U.I, Agodi here and up to Iwo-Road. And what we have seen is that this really happened in some parts of Ibadan but not the entire town.

 

“From what we saw at Eleyele road, some people were burning tires and they were appealed to remove them. Situation has returned to normal and people are coming out to go about their lawful businesses, and security operatives are at those areas where hoodlums may want to take advantage to ensure such does not happen.

 

“With the interaction we had with some people at Eleyele, they have come out to say, look, because of the kind of business they do, they are still taking old naira notes from passengers but when they go to fuel stations, the old notes are rejected.

 

“We could see their genuine feelings but what we want to say is that we don’t want hoodlums to take advantage of this peaceful protest and turn the state into a place where they will say there is no law and order.

 

“Yes, there may be political undertone but what the Security Commanders want to assure the people of Oyo State is that they will continue with the pro-active measures they have put in place because it has helped in a very big way. If there have not being those measures, maybe the situation would have escalated. That is why people can now go about their lawful businesses.

 

“The foot soldiers are on the ground including the representatives of the GOC. So, when you have this kind of overwhelming presence, we are reassured. Even when people want to come out to express their sufferings, we will not allow hoodlums to hijack it.

 

“The state will be firm. The Commanders as well will be firm on hoodlums and criminals that want to take advantage. The protest will be managed in a way that it won’t degenerate.

 

“We have seen some barricades and the people that are involved, on their own, voluntarily removed them after letting them know that it is non-kinetic means that the state wants to be using to address the situation.

 

“It is a delicate thing, which everybody is feeling its impact. These are peasants who just want to earn their livelihood. So, you have to be careful when you are handling a situation such as this. That is why the Security Commandeers have resolved that non-kinetic means will be used and they won’t allow criminals to turn it to a violent one.”

 

Security agencies, whose Service Commanders, alongside the SA Security to Governor ‘Seyi Makinde,  CP Owoseni(rtd),  and the Director General, Oyo State Joint Security Task Force, Operation Burst, Colonel James Oladipo (rtd.), embarked on the spot-assessment  include Brigadier General A.A. Tawasimi of the Nigeria Army; Deputy Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Patunola Timothy; Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abdullahi Saheed;  Deputy Comptroller, Immigration, Odesola Oyebode and the State Director of the State Security Services, Mr. Emmanuel Okoye(MSi).

 

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has sympathised with the people of the state on the continuous scarcity of the naira as a result of the recent CBN’s currency redesign policy.

 

In a statement on Wednesday, the Governor appealed to the people of the state to remain calm and peaceful, and not give in to any frustrations over the naira scarcity.

 

“I testify to the inconvenience this development has brought. We are in this together, and we are not missing any opportunity to work with the CBN and the Federal Government to bring ease to the people within reasonable time. I admit it has been tough, and we do not take your patience for granted,” he said.

 

“I sincerely appeal to you to remain calm. We are a resilient people who are popular for our peaceful nature and our history of seeking reliefs with calmness and absolute restraints. This is a passionate appeal to the good people of Kwara State. Again, I share in your pains, and I urge you to exercise the highest level of restraints as we surmount this challenge together.”