Updated: Panic in Lagos as violent protests spread, Jigawa recognises old naira notes

The riot that broke out early Friday morning in the Ketu/Mile 12 and Ojota areas of Lagos over inability of people to use old naira notes for daily transactions has spread to other parts of the state.

The violent protests captured on social media platforms caused serious traffic along the Ikorodu expressway.

The violence later spread to Agege, Ikorodu, Iyana Iba.

Motorists and other road users on their way to different places of work hurriedly turned back in panic as the rioters went berserk with bonfires set across the road.

In Jigawa State, the government has moved to prevent violence over the naira scarcity as it declares that the old naira notes remain legal tender in the state pending the judgment of the Supreme Court.

The Lagos protesters blocked the Ikorodu road with bonfires while many vehicles were reportedly vandalised in the process.

The protest was said to have started following the rejection of the old notes of N1000 (one thousand naira) and N500 (five hundred naira) by traders in the area.

Traders, who had come to the market early Friday were frustrated by the rejection of the old naira notes by traders at the market.

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the unrest happening in the Mile 12 area of Lagos State.

He made this known via his Twitter handle on Friday.

Responding to a tweet asking the PPRO to confirm the rumour, Hundeyin replied, “ It is true. Our men are there. Reinforcement units have been deployed. Stay safe out there as we closely monitor and manage the situation.”

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had earlier said his administration would prosecute anyone found rejecting the old naira notes.

But President Muhammadu Buhari, in a national broadcast on Thursday, directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to make only the old N200 available and allow it to be used along with the just redesigned notes while declaring that the old N1000 and N500 notes had ceased to be legal tender.

Meanwhile, the Jigawa State Government has said the old naira notes remain legal tender in the state pending the judgment of the Supreme Court.

The state Commissioner for Information, Youths Sports and Culture Bala Ibrahim Mamsa stated this in a statement issued to on Thursday.

According to him “Jigawa State is among the states before the Supreme Court of Nigeria the CBN and the court have issued an order “…restraining the CBN from suspending or determining or ending on the 10th of February, 2023 the time frame within which the now older versions of the 200, 500 and 1000 denominations of the naira may no longer be legal tender pending the hearing and determination of the …. Motion on notice…”

He said Jigawa State Government enjoined its citizens to desist from disobeying the law and causing hardships to the people of the state.

Mamsa stated that it has come to the government’s notice that some individuals and corporate bodies in the state are rejecting the now old N200, N500, and N1000 notes.

He said the government would take action against anyone found rejecting the old naira notes.

The commissioner, however, advised the general public to report any trader or business organizations that refused to accept the N200, N500, and N1000 notes as legal tender in Jigawa State to the nearest appropriate authorities.