Three persons have been shot dead during a protest and an attempt to invade the Benin branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over the rejection of the old naira notes, reports are saying.
It was gathered that some residents in the early hours of Wednesday besieged the gate of the apex bank to swap their old naira due to the rejection of the notes by banks, fuel stations and marketplaces.
But, upon arriving at the CBN’s gate in Benin City to deposit their old notes, the residents became infuriated after they saw a Toyota Hilux entering the branch premises. They then resorted to hurling stones at the building. When the security agencies attached to the bank could no longer resist the protesters, they fired teargas and gunshots to disperse the group of protesters.
Aggrieved with the situation, the protesters, who wielded sticks and other weapons attacked some commercial banks and their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) within the Benin metropolis.
Read also: POS operators defy CBN order, charge over stipulated fee
The protest was later amplified when residents from the streets adjoining the bank such as Sakponba Road joined the tense situation and moved to other areas including, Siluko and Ogida.
One of the protesters alleged that it was government officials that wanted to collect new notes from the CBN, hence they were angry and decided to stop them.
He said the police responded by firing tear gas and bullets in the air and in the process three people were killed.
However, Chidi Nwabuzor, spokesperson of the Edo State police command, said he was yet to be briefed about the information.
Meanwhile, security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, police, and prisons armed squad have manned the Oba Ovonramwen square popularly called ring road and Benin Correctional Centre sited on Sapele road in Benin City.
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