There were reports of violence and fighting around the Ojota/Mile 12 axis in Lagos on Friday morning over the scarcity of the newly redesigned naira notes across the country and the hardship it has caused Nigerians.
According to some social media reports, gunshots were reportedly heard around that axis with many scampering for safety as it was gathered that some suspected touts in Mile 12, Ketu and Ojota areas on the expressway, took to the road attacking commuters in the process and creating chaos.
Some suspected louts in the area – Mile 12, Ojota, and Ketu – took over the Lagos-Ikorodu Expressway, attacking some commuters in the process.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, had earlier in a tweet post on his official Twitter account confirmed the unrest happening in the Mile 12 area of Lagos State.
Naira Scarcity: Violence Breaks Out In Mile 12, Ojota Part Of Lagos, Normalcy Returning
While responding to a tweet asking him to confirm the incident, Hundeyin replied, “ It is true. Our men are there. Reinforcement units have been deployed. Stay safe out there as we closely monitor and manage the situation.”
However, Hundeyin in a follow-up statement on his official Twitter account confirmed that normalcy has been restored following the incident.
He said, “Free movement of vehicles and people fully restored. Our officers and men are still on the ground to prevent any breakdown of law and order,” he tweeted on his handle. “If you see something, say something.”
There were also unconfirmed earlier reports of violence over the new naira scarcity in some parts of Agege, although it was reported that normalcy is gradually returning to that axis.
This new protest is coming a day after President Muhammadu Buhari in a nationwide broadcast, said while the old N1,000 and N500 are no longer legal tenders, the N200 banknotes will still be in use until April 10, 2023.
There has been growing anger and frustration by Nigerians across the country over the naira scarcity caused by the CBN’s naira redesign policy with protests and violence spreading across some states leading to the destruction of properties including some bank ATMs, POS shops and even reported the loss of lives.
The violence, which paralysed social and economic activities in the Edo and Delta states, also claimed 3 lives while many others were injured during the riot.
The protests equally spread to Oyo, Ondo, Benue and Kwara states as residents vented their anger over the scarcity of cash which had made life unbearable for many Nigerians.