At least three persons are feared killed as the protest against naira and fuel scarcity in Edo state turned bloody on Wednesday in Benin City.
Reports claim one of the victims was gunned down by security operatives when the protesters had attempted to take over Central Bank, Benin office at Ring Road in the heat of the protest.
Sources also claim that several Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) of some deposit banks around the city centre were vandalised by the angry protesters.
Protest broke out early Wednesday morning as residents who had been going to banks for cash withdrawal, said they could not access their money.
They were said to have become agitated when the commercial banks refused to accept the old naira notes as deposits.
With road blocks and bonfires on the road, the protesters castigated the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of inflicting hardship on the masses.
Security agents deployed to guard the CBN against break-in were seen using teargas to scare the protesters away, while others equally fired shots into the air.
Efforts to obtain comment from the Police Public Relations Officer, Edo state police command on the matter proved abortive. As at the time of filing this report, the phone line was busy.
But a viral video seen by this Reporter on social media show the remains of one of the victims on a wheelbarrow being pushed by the protesters in their number.
