Protest broke out in Benin, Edo state capital, on Wednesday,
over the paucity of naira notes.
Some residents protested in Oluku, Upper Sakponba, and New
Benin market.
A group of protesters also converged at the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) office located at Akpakpava road, Ring Road axis, and blocked the
road leading to the bank.
Security operatives at the CBN office were said to have shot
tear gas canisters at the protesters to disperse them, resulting in violence.
At the New Benin market, traders barricaded the major road,
chanting protest songs to make known their opposition to the naira redesign
policy.
A resident of the state disclosed that many shops at the
New Benin market are currently closed owing to the protest.
At Upper Sakponba, the protesters blocked the major road in
the area while creating bonfires with tyres.
Some protesters were said to have been killed after security
operatives were mobilised to disperse the demonstrations, but Chidi Nwabuzor,
Edo police spokesperson, told TheCable that senior officers are on the field to
get information on the incidents.
“Regarding the question you made if there was any death… I
won’t want to feed you with information that is not fact. I would rather wait
for senior officers who are currently in the field querying this riot and
protecting the lives and property of the citizen to return so I will have
first-class information,” he said.
THE NAIRA SWAP CRISIS
For days, Nigerians have been battling with the scarcity of
naira notes — a development that has led to long queues at banking halls, and
automated teller machines (ATM).
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had given a deadline of
January 31 for the use of old naira notes but it was extended to February 10.
On February 8, the supreme court temporarily restrained the
federal government from banning the use of the old naira notes from February
10, 2023, pending the hearing of the matter on February 15.
Despite the court’s order, Emefiele insisted on the
deadline.
On Wednesday, the apex court adjourned the hearing of the
case brought against the CBN on the policy to Wednesday, February 22.
The stance of the CBN has triggered confusion as filling
stations, supermarkets, and other business owners have continued to reject the
old naira notes.
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