•Scarcity creating hardship —Gov Adeleke

By Shina Abubakar & James Ogunnaike

ANGRY residents, including youths, yesterday, protested over the continued Naira scarcity in some parts of Sagamu area of Ogun State.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the Sagamu Local Government Secretariat was vandalised by the protesters.

It was gathered that the protesters vandalised furniture, power generators, overturned table and files at the council secretariat, while other property of the local government were also damaged.

The protesters also made bonfires at the local government Secretariat, Ita-Oba and GRA areas, even as they disrupted vehicular movement and socioeconomic activities.

Schools and other public places, shops and offices were hurriedly shut over the development for fear of being attacked.

It was also gathered that banks in the town were under lock and key, while bonfires were made at the Sagamu junction on the Sagamu -Benin Expressway thereby causing gridlock.

Markets places in the town were equally deserted by traders and buyers, while an old generation bank, Union Bank and Keystone Bank were set on fire, while Access and Zenith Banks were destroyed.

The protest disrupted commercial activities, as shop owners closed their shops and scampered to safety.

The protesters blamed the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government of inflicting hardship on the masses.

But the Akarigbo and Paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, urged Sagamu residents, particularly the residents to remain calm and shun violence.

Ajayi said: “I appeal to all to remain calm and peaceful as we continue to engage the Federal Government. 

“This policy is not from the state or local government. Therefore, the destruction of lives and properties will only compound an already bad situation. 

“I urge our people to continue to accept the old notes in line with the Supreme Court ruling. No person who accepts the old notes would lose out. I can assure you of that, and please hold on to that promise. 

Scarcity creating hardship—Gov Adeleke

Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, yesterday, noted that the continuous scarcity of new naira notes is creating hardship on the people, saying even as a governor, he does not have the redesigned currency.

Addressing CBN officials in his office, yesterday, Governor Adeleke decried the increasing shortage of the new notes, calling on the CBN to sanction financial institutions involved in such anti-people activities.

He said: “The situation is getting out of hand. The CBN must act fast. Any bank hoarding the new notes must be sanctioned. We should not treat such banks with kid gloves.

“My people are patient but we should not take their patience for granted. That is why I called for this meeting. Why are the new notes not available? Is the supply small or inadequate?

“The new notes are not available. Even as a state governor, I don’t have the new notes. You can see how hard it is for our people to access the new currency, if their governor is not getting them. We should not overstretch the cooperation we are enjoying from the citizenry.”