Nigeria’s recent policy of introducing new naira notes has caused chaos and unrest in Lagos State, specifically on the popular Lagos-Ikorodu expressway.
The policy has caused a shortage of the new notes and increased the hardship for Nigerians. On Friday morning, fighting erupted in some areas on the expressway, with suspected louts attacking commuters and creating chaos.
According to News About Nigeria, the suspected louts in Mile 12, Ketu, and Ojota areas on the expressway took to the road, attacking commuters and creating chaos. A driver attached to one of the cab-hailing firms operating in the state said he had to turn into one of the streets due to the chaos.
Social media users who shared details of the ongoing fighting in the area alleged that they could hear sounds of gunshots.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the unrest in the Mile 12 area of Lagos State. He tweeted that the police had deployed reinforcement units to manage the situation.
The policy of introducing new naira notes was supposed to help reduce the circulation of dirty and mutilated notes in the Nigerian economy. However, the scarcity of the new notes has increased the hardship for Nigerians who rely on cash transactions.
The protests and riots that broke out in Agege, Iyana-Ipaja, and Igando areas of Lagos State on the same day as the fighting on the expressway highlight the impact of the new policy on the people. The Nigerian government needs to address the situation and ensure that the people are not left in hardship due to its policies.
