..... we've arrested 27 suspects - Police
By Peter Adedoyin
Angry residents, including youths in the early hours of Monday protested over the continued Naira scarcity of in some parts of Sagamu area of Ogun State.
Vanguard reliably gathered that the the Sagamu Local Government Secretariat
was vandalized by the protesters.
It was gathered that the protesters vandalized furniture, giant generating set, overturned table and files at the Sagamu Local Government Secretariat, while other property of the local government were also damaged.
The protesters also made bonfires at the local government Secretariat, Ita Oba, and GRA areas even as they disrupted vehicular movement and socioeconomic activities.
Schools and other public places, shops and offices were hurriedly shut over the development for fear of being attacked.
It was also gathered that banks in the town were under lock and key, while bonfires were made at the Sagamu junction on the Sagamu -Benin Expressway thereby causing gridlock.
Markets places in the town were equally deserted by traders and buyers, while an old generation bank, Union Bank and Keystone Bank were set on fire, while Access and Zenith Banks were destroyed.
The protest destrupted
commercial activities, as shop owners closed their shops and scampered to safety.
The protesters blamed the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government of inflicting hardship on the masses.
Meanwhile, the Akarigbo and Paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, has appealed to Sagamu residents, particularly the residents to remain calm and shun violence.
"I appeal to all to remain calm and peaceful as we continue to engage the federal.
"This policy is not from the state or local government. Therefore, the destruction of lives and properties will only compound an already bad situation.
"I urge our people to continue to accept the old notes in line with the Supreme Court ruling. No person who accepts the old notes would lose out. I can assure you of that, and please hold on to that promise."
"Further, I am also mandating all our market people to continue to accept the old notes. I hereby undertake that no one will lose out for possessing the old notes," he said.
On his part, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo has appealed to residents of the State to remain calm in the face of daunting challenges created by the ongoing currency swap of the federal government so as not to create room for anti- democratic elements to hijack the election process.
Oluomo said, the effects of the ongoing fiscal policy of the federal government being implemented through the Central Bank of Nigeria had affected Nigerians negatively as able bodied men and women now spend better part of working hours at the banks’ ATM.
According to Oluomo, ” while it is important to acknowledge that the currency swap is good for the economy, the process of its implementation as currently being experienced has created a lot of socio-economic hardships for Nigerians, we should thus remain calm and not to allow anti-democratic elements to hijack the process.
We should endure to the last, and come out en-masse on Saturday to exercise our franchise for the candidates of our choice”, the Speaker counseled.
Confirming the incident, the spokesman of Ogun State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi said normalcy had since return to the town.
He said, "normalcy has been restored in greater parts of Sagamu now. CP Frank Mba is personally leading police teams and some military men to tackle the situation".
Oyeyemi added that about 27 persons had been arrested in connection with the unrest
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