Protesters block Ore-Benin expressway over naira scarcity

Some residents of Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Friday blocked the busy Ore-Benin expressway to register their displeasure over the scarcity of naira notes.

Our correspondent reports that the protesters made bonfire on both sides of the expressway making it impossible for vehicular movement which has also resulted to heavy gridlock on the axis.

Some of the protesters who spoke in separate interviews with our correspondent said that they were protesting over the naira notes scarcity which they claimed was taking a toll on them and their families.

They also lamented their inability to access cash from banks’ Automated Teller Machines (ATM’s) and were not allowed into the banking halls.

Mr Kayode Akinbola, one of the protesters said: “This is indeed a hard time for us, the naira scarcity is taking a toll on me and my family, and this protest is to demonstrate that we are not happy over this situation.”

Mr Rotimi Akinluwa, another protester said the inability to access his money through the banks’ ATMs and banking halls was so frustrating.

“I have my money in the bank and I can not get it, even the Point of Sales (PoS) operators no longer have the cash even if you want to buy, this is so frustrating,” he said.

Another protester, Mr Bummi Adewole described President Buhari’s nationwide broadcast on Thursday as “the most frustrating one as he refused to heed to the yearnings of the masses in his broadcast.”

“Buhari said they should re-circulate the N200 old notes, how many people will this satisfy, in fact there is no solution on the way at all and the problem continues,” Adewole said.

ASP Funmilayo Odunlami, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ondo State Command, in a telephone interview with our correspondent said that police personnel from Ore Police Area Command were “on top of the situation to arrest any breakdown of law and order.”

Also, Mr Sikiru Alonge, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Unit Commander in Ore, told our correspondent that it was difficult to control traffic on the axis now, urging motorists to use alternative routes.