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
