Our reporter| Not less than three banks were vandalised on Monday as protest over scarcity of new naira notes rocked the Sagamu area of Ogun State.
Ogun state police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the development to reporters, said Union Bank, First Bank, and Keystone Bank branches were attacked by protesters.
He, however, said policemen have been deployed to the area to quell the situation.
“We are in Sagamu now. The place is seriously burning,” Oyeyemi said. “They attacked Union Bank and First Bank as well as Keystone Bank. We are there right now.”
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Frank Mba, has assured residents of the state of the resolve of the Command to protect lives and property, prevent breakdown of law and order, and improve public safety and security.
The CP further noted that intelligence at the disposal of the Command indicates that some criminal elements are planning to take advantage of the challenging economic situation to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the State.
He, therefore, warned that the Police, will not fold its arms and allow persons with criminal intentions, to hide under any guise whatsoever, to unleash mayhem on residents, private and public property, and critical national infrastructure, including banks and offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The CP assured that necessary security architecture has been emplaced to protect the peace loving people of the state.
Similar protests last week broke out across states in Nigeria amid scarcity of new naira notes and petrol, with Banks and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) vandalised by aggrieved citizens whose money are trapped in the banking system.
The cash crunch and consequent riots come just a few days before the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, spreading fears about the safety of voters on Saturday but the police and other security agencies have assured citizens of maximum safety amid the polls.
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