Nigerians’ demonstrations against the paucity of new naira notes have continued to expand to other regions of the country.
On Friday, protests erupted in the states of Lagos, Rivers, Ogun, Ondo, and Oyo.
Pictures and videos viewed by TheCable and social media accounts depicted roadblocks with gridlocked vehicles and trapped passengers.
Residents were stranded in Lagos when protests erupted in the Ojota region of the state before expanding to Maryland, Ketu, Mile 12, and sections of Ikorodu.
Some road users were observed scurrying for cover as protestors attacked automobiles.
Along sections of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, traffic was halted because Magboro and Asese were blocked by a second group of demonstrators.
Videos provided by TheCable revealed that both sides of the Magboro motorway were obstructed by smoke from burning tires.
The demonstrators in the Ifo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state of Ogun erected many roadblocks, which disrupted business activity.
Residents of Odigbo LGA in Ondo state ignited bonfires on both sides of the Lagos-Benin expressway as they demonstrated against the cash shortage.
One of the demonstrators, Kayode Akinbola, lamented the hardships that the naira shortage is causing his family.
“This is truly a difficult moment for us, as the naira shortage is putting a toll on me and my family,” Akinbola said. “This demonstration is to show that we are unhappy with this scenario.”
Another protester, Rotimi Akinluwa, described the situation as “frustrating” because he cannot access the funds in his bank account.
This is really annoying, said Akinluwa, who has money in the bank but cannot use it. Even the cashiers at the Point of Sale (PoS) no longer carry cash.
Protesters also obstructed portions of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway in the Soka neighborhood of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo, causing lengthy traffic jams.
Rivers state residents also came to the streets to protest the paucity of fresh naira notes.
Since the redesign of N200, N500, and N1000 notes by the federal government caused a naira shortage, there have been protests throughout the country.
