From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
As the scarcity of Naira notes bites harder, youths in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue state taken to the streets to protest the rejection of the old naira notes.
Otukpo is the trado political seat of Idoma land which is known as Benue South senatorial district of the state.
The youths, on Wednesday, blocked the federal highway along Otukpo/Enugu roundabout, barricading the major highway disrupting vehicular movement for hours.
Several passengers and motorists were left stranded as the youths burnt old vehicle tyres along the road.
A source from the are who didn’t want to be named said the youths were lamenting the pains being experienced as a result of the scarcity of new naira. “We are in severe pains, no new notes and old ones rejected”.
As of the time of filing this report, the source said the youths have been put off the road and vehicular activities have commenced again.
He said the youth promised to continue with the protest if the situation does not improve.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Catherine Anene, could not be reach on phone as she didn’t pick her calls and was yet to reply a message to her phone.
But a police source in Otukpo, who spoke on condition to remain anonymous, confirmed the protest saying, “The youths blocked the road but we have dispersed them.
“They were protesting the rejection of the old money and non availability of petrol. There wasn’t much issues because we dispersed them immediately.”