Clashes had erupted in some parts of Lagos-Ikorodu expressway in Lagos State over the scarcity of the new naira notes and the hardship the policy has thrown Nigerians.
On Friday morning, hoodlums in Mile 12, Ketu and Ojota blocked the expressway, attacking commuters and creating chaos.
A driver, attached to one of the cab-hailing firms operating in the state who does not want his name in print over fears of harassment, said he had to turn into one of the streets due to the chaos.
Lagos State Police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, has tweeted that there is unrest happening in the Mile 12 area of Lagos State on Friday.
Hundeyin said in the tweet that “Our men are there. Reinforcement units have been deployed, and urged resident areas to remain calm and closely monitor and manage the situation.”
Earlier on, vehicular movement on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway gradually built up and caused gridlock, which has spread from the Mowe area of Ogun State inwards the Long Bridge area of Arepo.
This was a result of the protest that broke out on Friday morning over the naira scarcity.
There were police presence along the expressway with many vehicles turning back to escape the chaos ahead.
A source in Mowe area, said youths in the area had barricade and blocked the road it in protest
The protesters resisted police intervention and threatened to set the police station in the area ablaze.
Similarly, riots broke out Ogun communities as youths protested the lingering new naira policy and fuel scarcity.
The protesters barricaded the Mowe end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and turned back motorists and travellers.
The rioters also set bonfires on the highway, thus forcing motorists and travellers to hurriedly turn back.
Aside from travelers, commercial activities were disrupted in Mowe, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state, as shop owners closed their shops and hurriedly left for safety.
There was riot at the Magboro axis of the highway with travelers and road users turning back to the Lagos end of the road.
Meanwhile, the National Youth Service Corps members in the areas billed for election training on Friday were asked to stay back home and avoid the routes.
The protest has also spread to Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State as the angry mob has blocked the busy Ore-Benin expressway to register their displeasure over the scarcity of naira notes.
The protesters set bonfires on both sides of the expressway stopping vehicular movement thus causing heavy gridlock on the axis.
Some of the protesters said 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 (ATMs) and were not allowed into the banking halls.
One of the protesters, Mr. Kayode Akinbola, 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.”
Another protester Mr. Rotimi Akinluwa, said the inability to access his money through the banks’ ATMs and banking halls was so frustrating.
“I have my money in the bank but I cannot get it, even the Point of Sales (PoS) operators no longer have cash even if you want to buy, this is so frustrating,” he said.
According to a third protester, Mr. Bummi Adewole, President Buhari’s nationwide broadcast on Thursday is “the most frustrating 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.
The state police spokesperson, ASP Funmilayo Odunlami, said police personnel from Ore Police Area Command were “on top of the situation to arrest any breakdown of law and order.”
Also, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Unit Commander in Ore, Mr. Sikiru Alonge, said it was difficult to control traffic on the axis now, urging motorists to use alternative routes.
