Protesters took to the streets of Olodo in Ibadan, Oyo state to press home their demands of a better economic situation following the naira and fuel scarcity that has put Nigerians in untold hardship.
PunchMetro Correspondent who was at the scene of the protest reports that burnfires thick cloud rented the atmosphere as protesters chant solidarity songs of a better Nigeria.
Vehicles are being diverted as protesters made barricades to block the ever busy road
Residents resorted to trekking down to their destinations as there are no vehicle to convey them.
Students can be seen going back home for fear of attacks while business activities have been grounded in the area.
Busola Oladeji says she has no option than to trek the 5kilometer journey down to her destination down from Iyana church to Olodo extension
“I am trekking because there’s no public transport, touts are everywhere, you have to trek down from where ever you are going because there’s no public transport, I am trekking for about 5 to 10 kilometers, I am trekking from Iyana church to olodo”
Also a resident, Mr Akinsola Bello expressed their frustrations on the effect of the current economic reality on their day-to-day life particularly their businesses.
A yoghurt seller John Oyewale said “About what is happening now, this thing affects everybody especially money, they should help us about the money, we don’t have any new notes, we are collecting old notes, especially our business is not going well because of everything that is happening, so they should help us”.
He said, “I saw people burning tire because of no old notes, no fuel, I went to a dust bin this morning to use broom to sweep old charcoal to cook, I don’t have money to buy gas, since Sunday my bank is not doing transfer, I am trekking down to work because there’s no vehicle as a result of the protest.”
The protest is going on simultaneously across the brown roof city to insure places like, Gate, Eleyele, Yemetu, Mokola among others
A similar protest rocked the city on Friday, February 3, where some hoodlums within the popular Araromi Spare parts, Gate, took advantage of the protest and set ablaze a police station, stole the station’s Plasma TV, vandalized a branch of WEMA Bank in the area and looted some roadside shops.
The protest is coming less than 10days to the general election amidst deliberations by stakeholders on the New naira note.
As at the time of filling this report, security operatives are on ground to restores peace to the area.
