Protesters attack banks in Ibadan amid lingering cash scarcity

Banks in Ibadan, the Oyo capital, have been attacked following protests over lingering scarcity of cash.

TheCable had earlier reported that protesters in Ibadan took to the streets to protest the scarcity of petrol and naira notes.

The unrest was said to have started at Agodi gate, at the intersection that leads to the state secretariat and the government house, before it spread to other parts including Iwo road, Gate bus-stop, and Idi Ape.

Access Bank and Wema Bank branches located in the Dugbe and Queen Cinema areas of the town were attacked.

Adewale Osifeso, the spokesperson of the state police command, confirmed the attacks on the financial institutions to TheCable.

“Some persons tried to vandalise the ATM of Wema bank but were repelled by the police,” he added.

Osifeso had earlier told TheCable that intelligence showed that there is a plot to hijack the protest in order to attack banks, correctional centres, and facilities belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“Worthy of note is that available intelligence reveals that certain unscrupulous elements have perfected plans to hijack the process, escalating the situation into full-scale chaos by shutting down and attacking places of interest which include but are not limited to INEC facilities, banks, media houses, schools, correctional centres and other critical infrastructure inclusive of looting major malls and business centres within the state,” he said.

“Members of the public are hereby advised especially with reference to the youth segment to avoid being used by agents of violence who want to capitalise on the situation to criminally enrich themselves especially as we navigate towards the 2023 General Elections as the Command is fully prepared to mobilise fully to prevent these criminal elements from turning Oyo State into their playground.”