Business Grounded In Ibadan, As Protesters Block Major Streets With Burn Fire Over Scarcity Of New Naira Notes
By Our Reporter
Some residents of Ibadan metropolis, the Capital City of Oyo state were stranded due to early morning protest by angry protesters over the scarcity of new naira notes in circulation.
Naijanewshub.com.ng reports that the protesters in their hundreds took to some major streets of the ancient city to register their displeasure over the scarcity of new naira notes.
The protesters were also pleading to government and concerned stakeholders over the new naira note policy to give extension of days for the old naira notes to be legal tender pending the time it will fade away in circulation.
Naijanewshub.com.ng Reporter who visited scenes of the protest that was held simultaneously in different locations in Ibadan metropolis discovered that the protesters were set of the youths that falls into the class of informal economy, as majority of them live on a daily subsistence, it is a known fact that some of these protesters are motorists, Okada-Riders, Petty Traders, Road Traffic Hawkers, Shop Owners, POS Operators among others.
The affected areas that were blocked as at the time of filling this report with burn fire by these angry protesters are Iyana Church, Monatan -Iwo Road, while at Ojoo -UI Road, protesters were sighted with various placard at Ajibode Junction blocking the people of Ajibode/NISER/Apete/Awotan areas to have access to the main Ojoo – UI Road, though as at the time of visiting this area the protesters were sighted mounting road blockages only without burn fire, as security operatives were on that spot to maintain law and order.
On Ojoo-UI-Sango Road, at the exact Trans Amusement Park Junction, the whole place was in flame as protesters were sighted burning used tyres on the road, preventing motorists from free movement route, some motorists were sighted taking alternative routes instead.
Some other areas visited within the city that was affected by the heavy protest are Oke Ado, Molete in Ibadan South West local area, Eleyele Junction in Ibadan North West Local Government Area of the state.
Another set of protesters mounted an heavy road blockage at the Eleyele-Ologuneru-Eruwa road causing serious traffic gridlock around Eleyele, Ijokodo, Sango-Poly road, though there were presence of heavy armed security officers at the spot to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
There were burn fire and a serious protest at Olorunsogo Under Bridge, preventing free flow of traffic on Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, while some of the protesters also set ablaze unused tyres on Olorunsogo Bridge blocking the people of Jegede, Tioya, Amuloko axis from accessing Orita Aperin- Beere Road, though shop owners along this road could not open their stores as some protesters in this particular area were sighted smoking weed and drinking alcohol, but the presence of security men prevented them from breaking into shops and stores owned by innocent traders suspected to be resident of the affected aforementioned areas located in Ona Ara Local Government Area of Ibadan.
As at the time of filling this reports, no life was lost as a result of the ongoing protest, but residents could not go about their lawful businesses as most motorable roads that could have aided ease doing of business in the state capital have been blocked by the angry protesters.
There is no doubt that large scale, medium and even small scale businesses have been affected in the city by this protest, as banks, shops, markets, eateries, malls among others located along Bodija/Agodi State Secretariat axis were shut down for the fear of attack by the protesters.
Students and some residents that have left their homes for daily activities were sighted trekking back to their various destinations as there were no Okada nor Cabs to convey them back to their various homes. While the private car owners and bike owners were seen hanging leaves on their vehicles and bike as a sign of solidarity to the protest before they were allowed to proceed on their movements.