The Police Command in Delta says five people have been arrested for setting two banks and two vehicles ablaze on Wednesday in Udu Local Government Area of the State.
The Spokesman of the Command, DSP Bright Edafe disclosed this in a telephone interview in Warri.
“Two banks and two vehicles were set ablaze by the protesters in Udu. I am not aware of any other protest in Warri and Effurun.
“Meanwhile, five persons have been apprehended in connection with the crime,” Edafe said.
An eyewitness said some people who were angry about the non availability of cash in banks and the rejection of the old naira notes protested and set ablaze two vehicles around Express Junction and Ovwian area of Udu.
Normalcy has been restored following the swift intervention of security operatives deployed to forestall total breakdown of law and order.
Naira scarcity protests: Okowa appeals for calm
Meanwhile, the State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has appealed to Nigerians to remain calm, amidst scarcity of the new naira notes.
Okowa, the Vice-Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the appeal in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, on Wednesday in Asaba.
The governor’s appeal came on the heels of protests by some citizens of the state at Orhuwhorun community in Udu Local Government Area, where a bank’s ATM gallery was reportedly torched.
While calling on the people to remain calm, he also appealed to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the monetary authorities to take further step in increasing the cash supply in the system.
“We appeal to our brothers and sisters across the state to keep calm, in spite of the current travails they are going through as a result of the scarcity of naira notes in the country.
“As a government, we are not unaware of your sufferings but we appeal to you to be patient with the monetary authorities, as they take steps to improve on the money supply in the country.
“We are very much aware of your pains and concerns, but burning down a bank that employs our people will not augur well for us as a nation, even as it will not also solve the problem but further compound the situation.
“Once again we appeal to you all to sheath your swords while we continue to engage the CBN to ensure more funds are released to the banks in the country,” Okowa said.