By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo
Thousands of Akwa Ibom residents who on Wednesday thronged the Uyo branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria to deposit their old Naira notes were teargassed by the Police to avert a stampede.
Newsmen gathered that the crowd became unruly following the inability of CBN officials to control them, even as police officers attached to the bank could not bring order hence the use of teargas to disperse them.
The residents had turned out early in their numbers following a circular purpoted to have been issued by the apex bank as most commercial banks in the city has since closed their doors against their customers due to “non availability” of the new Naira notes.
Most ATMs have also since stopped dispensing cash leaving residents to the mercy of POS operators whose charges have become exploitative and unbearable to people.
Meanwhile, most commuters have were stranded today following the rejection of the old naira by transporters in Uyo.
Before today, many filling stations and corporate business outlets did not accept the old naira notes despite the fact that they would remain legal tender until February 17, according to the CBN.
A check showed that commuters were unable to get to their destinations including public sector workers who were stranded along the major roads in the city as buses and taxis including tricycle operators rejected the old notes.
The rejection came amidst the growing scarcity of the new naira notes as customers continued to besiege banks with no avail looking for the new notes.
Some of the bank customers spent several hours daily without being able to carry out financial transactions particularly to make withdrawals from their accounts with some banks disbursing between N3,000 and N5,000 to customers only.
One of the bank customers told our reporter that he left his residence early in the morning to withdraw some money for his family saying he has spent all day without any success.
According to him, the bankers were loading money in bits saying that at the end of the day, customers could only withdraw two thousand naira at a go.
Checks also showed that apart from transporters and filling stations rejecting the old notes, pharmacies and traders in the metropolis have also not been accepting the old notes despite the nonavailability of the new notes.
It was also gathered that some filling stations that have rejected the old naira notes have reduced the price of petrol per litre and also rejected debit card transactions, selling at a reduced price with the new notes.
The currency squeeze also affected the yearly valentine day celebration which was marked yesterday as it took a different outlook from those of the previous years.
According to the check, many youngmen and women were said to have retired home early until in previous years while the use of red gowns and dresses were not dominant yesterday just like many relaxation spots were without the usual hustling and bustling activity.
