• Protesters barricade major highways in Ibadan
• Commuters resort to trekking long distances
From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday witnessed a new twist in the series of protests over scarcity of new naira notes. In anger, they major highways at different strategic points in many parts of the city, including Iwo Road Roundabout, Sango, Mokola, Eleyele, Beere, Idi-Arere and Molete.
The city had few days ago witnessed pockets of protests, some violent.
Deaths were also recorded. The volatile areas were Iwo Road Roundabouts, Iyana-Church, Agodi-Gate, Idi-Ape, Mokola Roundabout, Queen Cinema, Ekotedo, Dugbe, Sango, Ojoo, Eleyele and Agbowo.
The Ojoo-Mokola Road was barricaded at Poly Junction, Sango; Veterinary Bus Stop, Mokola; Uncle Joe Bus Stop and Mokola Roundabout.
The Eleyele-Dugbe Road was barricaded at Eleyele Roundabout.
There were few vehicles on the road. They hung leaves with their wipers. Riders of motorcycles and tricycles with private cars and trucks joined them.
Commuters resorted to trekking long distances to their destinations, such as Dugbe to Eleyele, about five kilometres; Sango to Mokola, about three kilometres and Total Garden to Bodija.
Security operatives were positioned at strategic places. They did not molest protesters, who were seemed not to be violent. Many shops did not open for business, while some eateries offered skeletal services.
Parents rushed to schools to take their children home. Others made calls that their wards be allowed to stay within the school premises.
At Eleyele, a protester told Daily Sun: “We are protesting because we are dying. We don’t have cash. We cannot access cash. If you want to do transfer, the network is not good. If I want to buy a thing of N350 and I want to do transfer, the seller will tell me to put N200 on top of it. Who is at a loss?
“We are registering our displeasure against the government that the new naira policy is anti-masses. The government has not seen anything.
This is just a tip of the iceberg. When the time comes, all of us, including security operatives will protest together. The security agents are also going through the same excruciating experience. We are in it together. And we shall fight it together. I’m sure of that.”