At least three people were feared dead and several others injured in protests over the scarcity of the new naira notes in Benin City, Edo State, on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses told journalists the angry protesters blocked major roads including the popular Ring Road, Akpakpava Road, Ramat Park and the adjoining streets, causing heavy traffic gridlock in the town.
The protesters, who chanted war songs, made bonfires on the roads and attacked commercial banks after failed attempts to gain access to the facilities.
However, an attempt by the group to attack the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch in the state capital was foiled by a combined team of soldiers, policemen and operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The death of two people in the area forced the angry protesters to attack all the banks along the Akpkakpkava Road and destroyed their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) points and ransacked buildings.
The affected banks include Sterling Bank, UBA Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Access Bank, Zenith Bank and Stanbic IBTC.
