Nursing Mother, Three Others Killed In Benin As Protests Rock Edo Over Naira Scarcity

Security operatives have reportedly killed four persons, including a nursing mother, when residents engaged in a violent protest at the gate of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Benin City, Edo State.

Angry residents had on Wednesday barricaded the gate of the CBN, which led to the killing of two persons on the Akpakpava road where the CBN office is located, one at Sakpoba road.

Naija News gathered that the nursing mother was killed by a stray bullet while waiting at a nearby ATM spot to withdraw cash.

Trouble started when an unmarked Toyota Hilux, which the protesters believed was from the government office, coming to the CBN to collect new cash, wanted to enter the bank, Daily Trust reports.

Angry residents started throwing stones at the suspected government vehicle before security agents controlled the situation.

The protest turned into a full-blown crisis when protesters from Mission road and Sakpoba road started throwing stones and other objects at the CBN in an attempt to break in.

Speaking on the incident, a protester identified as Abraham alleged that the people stopped the government officials who wanted to collect new notes from the CBN.

He said the police responded by firing tear gas and bullets in the air, and in the process, three people were killed.

It was gathered that UBA, First Bank, Keystone, Access bank, Unity Bank, and Polaris banks had their ATMs vandalised by the angry protesters who later moved into the town.

Another protester, Godwin Osemwingie, told Daily Trust that he saw three corpses on the ground while others sustained injuries.

“The problem right now is that I went to the bank to deposit my old naira notes, they said they are not accepting it, and even the bus drivers are also rejecting it,” he said.