3 Feared Dead In Ogun Cash Crunch Protest

At least three people were on Friday feared dead, while unconfirmed number of others sustained varying degrees of injuries when security operatives opened fire at the rampaging youths who barricaded the ever-busy Lagos – Ibadan expressway in protest against the non-availability of cash at the various banks across the state.

The protest, which allegedly started around 9: 30a.m on Friday around the popular Ojota motor parks in Lagos State, snowballed into the expressway corridor at the Ojodu – Berger border communities of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State before entering the Mowe – Ibafo axis in the Obafemi – Owode Local Government Area of the state.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that youths in their thousands had embarked on a protest to force the authorities prevail on money deposit banks to make cash available for withdrawal at the various Automated Teller Machines (ATM) terminals and thus ease the sufferings being encountered daily in the attempt to possess cash for various domestic commercial transactions.

The protesting youths however, made burn fires on the Lagos – Ibadan expressway thereby, preventing vehicular and human traffic movements in the area.

At the Mowe end of the Redeemed Christians Church of God (RCCG) community popularly referred to as the Redemption Camp, commuters were compelled to alight from their cabs, buses and other travelling machines as the rampaging youths protesting the stoppage of spending of N1, 000 and N500 currencies would not allow any vehicular movement criss cross to the other end.

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The development however, forces security operatives, particularly the military personnel drafted to the scene to open fire at the protesting youths to disperse them off the road.

LEADERSHIP Weekend further gathered that the protest compelled the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to shelve his campaign tour of Mowe – Ibafo where he was earlier scheduled to commission a Fire Service Station constructed by his administration in the state.

Unconfirmed report also has it that some members of the governor’s advanced team, who ran into the waiting hands of the rampaging youths in the Mowe community, particularly the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, simply identified as Mr. Benson were attacked by the rampaging protesters and the whereabouts of his phone still remains unknown till press time.

When contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi said his office was yet to receive any information regarding the protest at the Mowe corridor of the expressway.