By Tijani Salako, Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta, Samson Osuo, Lafia, Bola Ojuola, Akure, Opeyemi Abolarinwa, Osogbo, Jabiru Hassan, Kano
Violent protests has erupted in many parts of the country as fuel scarcity and scarcity of new naira notes bite harder.
Standard Times Correspondent across different parts of the country report that long queues of angry and frustrated Nigerians can be seen at banks and filling stations
In Abeokuta, our Correspondent report that protests rocked the Gateway State capital as angry residents took to major streets on Tuesday to protest the scarcity of naira cash and the limited amount of money withdrawn from banks and their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)
The protesters, who took over major roads in the capital city including Sapon, Panseke, Aladesanmi, Fajol, Iyana- Mortuary, Adatan, to mention few, set up bonfire on the roads, chanting anti- Central Bank Of Nigeria(CBN) songs.
They lamented the pain and hardship being experience to withdraw money either from the teller at the bank or ATMs as the limited cash they could receive from both is N5000 which is not enough to take care of their families and expenses for a day.
The residents also added to relief the pain of queuing for long hours before tellers at the banks and ATMs, they had to buy cash from Point of Sales(POS) operators where for instance N1000 is being charge to collect N5000 which were usually old notes.
Angry youths numbering about hundreds and armed with dangerous weapons including stones, cutlasses and planks seized major streets and setting bonfires at Sapon where three banks including Acess, Polaris and First bank were sited as the protesters attacked and vandalised the windows and ATMs of the First bank threatening to set it ablaze.
Anti – riot police deployed to the scene to forestall peace and order as well as protect lives and properties were met with resistance from the rioters despite firing several gunshot to disperse them from the bank premises.
An eye witness said that the protesters who came with various weapons attempted to set the bank on fire but were prevented by security operatives who were sent to the scene to maintain peace
“They came this morning and attacked the bank. They even tried to set the bank ablaze but the police stopped them” he said
Traders and other business operators who had opened for the day hurriedly closed their stalls and shops and fled for safety even as schools hurriedly closed.
The police Public Relation Officer in the state, AbimbolaOyeyemi, who confirmed the protest, said men of the police command had been despatched to monitor the situation and secure lives and properties
Oyeyemi said a group of boys were involved and the command was studying the protesters to know whether they are Okada riders or not.
Recalled that Governor Dapo Abiodun had on Monday, paid an unscheduled visit to the Abeokuta branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria to seek relief on the amounts that citizens could withdraw in exchange for deposits made in commercial banks
Similarly in Ondo State, there was heavy protest in Ore, Ondo state on Tuesday as residents trooped to protest along the ever-busy Ore-Benin expressway to register their displeasure over scarcity of naira notes and fuel ravaging the nation.
Some banks in the state especially in Akure, the state capital and Ondo town also shut down operations for fear of attack .
In Ore the protesters blocked the ever busy Lagos -Ore- Benin- express road there by causing gridlock .
Many travellers plying the route were stranded for several hours.
One of the protesters, Adebayo Adeyemi said the recent hardship ravaging the country is quite alarming.
“We are protesting to send a message to the government, that we the masses are suffering”.
As tension remains high, some banks including Zenith, Access, First bank, UBA ,WEMA and Unity bank quick close operations to forestall attack.
This development came barely 24 hours after the Police in the state had a stakeholders meeting with bank managers, NUPENG, and other stakeholders over imminent protest in the state.
The state commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyediranwarned that they will not allow protest in the state because it is not healthy considering the current security situation in the state and because it could be hijacked by hoodlums.
In Ebonyi, there is also scarcity of as people trouped out to Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to get their money because of the high charges at POS which is between 30% and 40% of the amount to be received.
On the issue of fuel scarcity, Standard Times Correspondent in Ebonyi reports that the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)otherwise known as Petroleum is increasing on daily basis as a litre is sold between N450and N500.
The only station that sells between N300 to N350, has very long queue
However, black markets sell between N550 to N600 per litrewithin the state capital.
Also, there is scarcity of naira in Ebonyi as people trouped out to Automated Teller Machine (ATM) to get their money because of the high charges at POS which is between 30% and 40%
In Osogbo, Standard Times Correspondent reports that the tension of getting petrol
in the capital city of Osogbo is cooling down.
Major marketers of such as NNPC, NIPCO sell at normal prices of one hundred and ninety- seven naira.
Likewise, Independent marketers like BOVAS, MATRIX filling stations also sell at normal prices.
According to a filling station manager off camera said Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN in Osun State are proposing to embark on strike as from tomorrow Wednesday.
In the same vein, the situation of getting the new naira notes plus cash flows remains hectic and stressful.
At different Banks visited in Osogbo at past seven this night, the queues were still and hopeful, people are sleeping over at the Banks premises.
Despite the fact that the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele again announced postponement of fading out the old naira notes to seventeenth of February, 2023, the situation remains the same.
However, in Lafia, Standard Times Correspondent report that the situation has not improved in Nasarawa State. Our Correspondent observed that the situation is getting worse dailyas most of the filling stations in Lafia, the State Capital are onlock and key.
A liter of fuel in the black Market as at today is N500. While at the filling Station when found is between N400 to N450. He reported
Reports from kano state revealed that there is long queues filling stations selling fuel at affordable prices while others sells at 320,330 and 360 but Standard Times correspondent gathered that some of the filling stations reject transfer or similar means of service payments rather than cash.
Drivers and other fuel users that had chats with newsman called on all the relevant authorities to make severe punishment against those who hide the commodity in their stations so as to ensure that they adhered with the rules concerning fuel scarcity.
Furthermore, the authorities handling the fuel crisis, sales and pricing remained vigilante by regular surveillance of all the existing filling stations to ensure that there is complicity in the sale of the fuel across the state.
In the meantime, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has ordered its members to suspend all operations nationwide.
This was contained in a statement signed by IPMAN Chairman, Mohammed Kuluwu on Tuesday.
He blamed the situation on “the critical situation as it affects our sourcing and selling of product at a loss and the action of the government to impose the selling fuel product at a loss on our side.”
Fuel scarcity has persisted in Nigeria despite efforts by the government to address the situation.
In the meantime, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) says political parties in the country favours no further extension of the window for the swap of old naira notes through the commercial banks, urging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to set up mechanism for mopping up old naira note in the hands of rural dwellers after the February 10, 2023 deadline.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the CNPP Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, umbrella body all registered political parties and political association said that “only politicians who have perfected plans to buy votes with the old notes are clamouring for further extension of the deadline for old naira note swap.”
The CNPP was reacting to the resolution by 14 political parties threatening to withdraw from the 2023 general elections if there was further extension of the swap deadline and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory’s restraining order on President MuhammaduBuhari, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefieleand 27 commercial banks from suspending the currency redesign policy of the federal government.
Justice Eneojo Eneche of the FCT High Court had in a ruling on an ex parte application brought by four political parties against the government and 27 commercial banks in the country, restrained the respondents from further extending the old naira notes swap deadline.
Urging Nigerians not to allow themselves to be used by corrupt and desperate politicians who do not mean well for the country, the CNPP argued that “the long term gains of the naira redesign policy and the entire cashless policy of the federal government outweigh any short term pain.
“Therefore, we urge the masses to bear with the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria as efforts are ongoing to overcome the current plot to sabotage the policy.
“We have seen the efforts of security and anti-graft agencies in arresting the economic saboteurs collaborating with a few unpatriotic politicians who are desperate to buy votes with the old notes by insisting on endless extension of the swap deadline.
“Their move to frustrate President MuhammaduBuhari administration’s cashless policy and its attendant benefits to the economy remains consistent with their intention to derail the 2023 general elections if they cannot buy votes or manipulate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do their bidding.
“The same elements had moved to remove the INEC Chairman for insisting on deploying technology for the conduct of the 2023 general elections, especially the use of the BVAS machines which are currently being reconfigured to ensure that over-voting in polling units is permanently eliminated, making rigging and ballot box stuffing a thing of the past.
“The CNPP calls on all well-meaning Nigerians, Civil Society Organisations, and patriots to remain resolute in the current fight for the soul of Nigeria through free, fair, and credible elections.
“Nigerian youths must be assured that once the right leadership is voted at all levels, the current pains and hardship will eventually become a tale of the past.
“It is time for the people to take their destinies in their hands. We stand with the order of Justice Eneojo Eneche restraining the federal government, CBN and commercial banks from, “stopping, extending or interfering with the currency redesign terminal date of February 10 or issue any directive contrary to the February 10 date.”
“The CNPP hereby urges the CBN to devise means of mopping up old notes from the rural communities in event that some rural farmers in the unbanked villages were unable to swap their old naira notes by February 10 deadline.
“Individuals and organisations who are unable to swap their old naira notes after the deadline should take their old notes to the CBN offices for exchange with the new notes at their face value as directed by the CBN”, the CNPP stated.
