Angry bank customers invade CBN Akure, police intervene

Scores of  angry bank customers on Tuesday laid siege to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the Alagbaka area of Akure, the Ondo State capital, after many commercial banks reportedly refused to release new naira notes to them.

Armed policemen had to take over the premises of the apex bank to prevent anyone from taking the law into their hands.

The customers such commercial motorcyclists and drivers, traders, civil servants, businessmen and women said they were turned back by bank officials when they approached the banks earlier to exchange the old notes for the new ones.

Some of the customers also said the banks were no longer collecting the old notes as of Monday.

Many were seen trooping out of the facilities of the commercial banks located at the Alagbaka axis.

They complained that the Automated Teller Machines (ATM) of the commercial banks were still dispensing the old notes.

A CBN official in Akure told Daily Trust that the apex bank would soon issue a statement directing the banks to start collecting the old notes from the customers.