By Jimoh Ahmed,
Adedotun Aderoboye,
& Kayode Afolabi
|
Despite the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday that the old N200 note should continue to circulate, all banks in major towns of Ondo State refused to attend to their customers.
The commercial banks shut their offices to avoid being attacked, following the protest by by aggrieved customers who blocked some roads in the state capital on Wednesday.
It was the quick intervention of security operatives that saved what could have led to violence.
In some of the banks visited by our reporter, customers were seen milling around the banks’ premises and the ATMs groaning.
One of the customers, who spoke with our correspondent, said banks were not opened over fear of possible outbreak of protests.
Reports from Owo indicated that all banks in the town were under lock and key while no ATM machine was working.
In Ikare Akoko banks remained closed as well as their ATMs while only one ATM was dispensing cash with hundreds of customers besieging the place.
When our reporter asked the hausa traders why they were collecting the old notes, they disclosed that they will take them to the CBN.
It was the same story in Owo as the economic life of the ancient town has been completely shut down.
Market women, traders, commercial centre owners, artisans and others were sitting idle with no one coming to patronise them.
POS agents were also idle as they complained that they do not have the new notes.
