Palpable fear has enveloped residents and traders of Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, as irate youths staged violent protests in many parts of the state capital.
The protest reportedly started at Asero, Abeokuta, on Tuesday, by some customers of GTBank over their inability to get new naira notes from the bank.
The protesters who made bonfires on the roads blocked the road that leads to Adatan and Osiele-Ibadan during the protest.
The development also escalated and spread to Adatan, Sapon, Oke-Ilewo, Lafenwa among others.
Witnesses say the gatherings were largely peaceful until the arrival of police officers who shot a protester dead and caused injuries to several others.
“It was a protest although it did not start as one. When we gathered and the bank said they are not attending to anyone, people stood outside the premises and were complaining,” a witness who pleaded anonymity said.
“As the crowds increased people began to sing songs and the word spread that people are protesting. Before we knew it police came and were shooting sporadically,” the witness further said.
The Access Bank building has now been set on fire by protesting youths in response to the police provocation.
Videos seen also show that the premises of the First Bank branch in the area has been vandalised.
Some banks’ staff at Oke-Ilewo and Panseke were seen rushing out of the premises and left.
The youths later arrived at Oke-Ilewo and destroyed all political materials hanging on the street lights. The youths who moved on motorcycles also blocked the Lalubu road during the protest, halting the free flow of vehicular movements.
They made bonfires in other places while policemen were nowhere to be found until after the angry youths had left the scene.
Also, some protesters stormed a branch of First Bank at Lafenwa, Abeokuta and destroyed the Automobile Teller Machine in the bank.
Schools were also reportedly closed following the confusion while a secondary school at Gbonagun, Obantoko was reportedly attacked.
A teacher at the school who pleaded anonymity said a tear gas canister was thrown into the school compound.
She said the teachers had to hurriedly evacuate the pupils to a safer place.
