From Jimoh Ahmed, Oladele Daniel, Aderemi Israel & Okaro Paul
Market women and youths all poured out to the streets in Akure, Ondo town and Owo to protest the hardship brought on them by the refusal of the CBN Governor, Godwin Emeifele, to extend the deadline placed on the old naira notes ceasing to be legal tenders in the country.
In Akure, youths blocked bank areas in Alagbaka, thereby hindering vehicular movement.
Also in Ondo town, the popular Akure motor park was blocked by residents over naira scarcity.
The protest which shook the ancient town of Owo started when some market women took to the streets with leaves in their hands, calling for the old naira notes to continue to be in circulation alongside the new ones.
They marched through major streets in the town before proceeding to the Olowo’s palace.
At the palace, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III who received the protesters, advised them to be peaceful and avoid anything that can cause chaos.
Oba Ogunoye said this is no doubt a trying period in the life of the people of Nigeria told the people not to do anything that will break the existing peace in the town.
The protest, however, heightened as youths in the town later came out to show their displeasure over the current currency crisis.
The youths in their hundreds were seen cursing those who brought the country into the present situation.
Similarly, security agents were seen stationed at every banks and places supposed to be flashpoints of possible violence which others were patrolling the streets.
Commercial banks which earlier opened for business were hurriedly closed as their staffers fled their duty posts for fear of being attacked by the protesters.
However, the leaders of the protesters were at hand to bring the situation under control as they said they are on a peaceful protest.
Speaking to out reporter, one of the leaders of the protesters, Olawale Ogunrinde, said they are on the streets to protest the untold hardships brought on them by the naira swap problem.
Olawale said, people are suffering not because they do not have money but just for the fact that they cannot spend it.
He advised President Muhammadu Buhari to listen to the cries of ordinary men tell the CBN Governor to rescind the his decision not to extend the deadline date
Another leader of the protesters, Mrs Taiwo Ibidunni who said the situation has crippled economic life the people called for the extension of the deadline of the old nor.
Ongoing protest at alagbaka Akure
One of the leaders of the protest in Akure, Opeyemi Azeez said the protest was an agitation against the suffering of the people, brought about by naira and fuel scarcity.
“We are suffering in Ondo State. We have money we can’t spend it. We have money we’re suffering. We have money we can’t eat.
“Fuel stations are not collecting old money again, including banks. We need support. We want our Governor to talk to us to encourage us including our Deji of Akure we want them to talk to listen to us .
He further lamented that people have been able to go to their workplaces while traders were experiencing low patronage because people don’t have money to buy goods.
Meanwhile, protest is also on going in Edo, Kwara, Delta and other States.
