The youths in their numbers barricaded all roads, leading to the popular and ever-busy Ring Road, where the apex bank is situated,while throwing stones and other dangerous objectes into the bank.
It took the timely intervention of security operatives to salvage the situation, but not without the protesters destroying many commercial banks in the axis.
The enraged protesters, who carried leaves, sticks and other dangerous weapons descended on a branch of the First Bank of Nigeria, at the Ring Road roundabouts and destroyed its ATM gallery.
A score said, the disruption of activities, which caused a total gridlock at the heart of the city, started when banks and business owners began to reject the old naira notes as a result of the CBN deadline.
When called to confirm the number of casualties, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo Police Command said he was yet to have information in that respect, but promised to revert later.
However, one of the protesters, Godwin Osemwingie, said he saw three corpses on the ground with many other protesters with varying degree of injuries.
“The problem right now is that we went to bank to deposit my old naira notes, they said they are not accepting it and even the bus drivers are also rejecting it.
“You cannot buy anything. I just went to the bank, look at the money, this is Nigerian money and they are rejecting it.
“How do they want us to survive? We can’t buy and we can’t sell; even the CBN has rejected the old moneyfrom us, why? That is why we are protesting,” he said.
Another protester, Justice Enadaghe who,went to Bureau D’ Change (BDC) to exchange euro to naira and was given old naira notes of over N30,000,which was rejected where he intended buying some items said.
“What I see in this place now is very peculiar to us. We are passing through a difficult time. We don’t know where we are going or where we are coming from.
“I am just coming from Upper Sakponba this morning to change my money and before changing it, they told me that they collect both the old and the new money.
“So, I went to the market to buy things but I was told that they cannot collect the old naira note, which aboki (BDC operator) gave me.
“I just changed 50 euro this morning and I was given N30,000 old naira notes and the money is just a waste in my hand. What am I going to do with the money now,” said Enadaghe
Precious Oruche, who said she visited the CBN to swap the old with new notes, described the situation as frustrating.
“We did not see new money and we didn’t see old money. The little ones we have, you said deadline and now that we want to return it, the CBN said no way.
Similarly, the protest has extended to other parts of the city such as University of Benin main gate, Mission road, Akpakpava road, Sakonpa road and Siluko road, where protesters damaged a branch of Ecobank on the road.
A source, who preferred anonymity, said the rampaging protesters were seen destroying kiosks of Point of Sales (PoS) operators in the area.
