Commuters in Ibadan were, on Wednesday, stranded after commercial drivers, motorcyclists, and tricyclists refused to accept old naira notes.

The situation forced some commuters to trek long distances to their respective destinations, while those who could not simply returned home.

It was also observed that the roads in some areas within the metropolis, like Omi-Adio, Apata, Challenge and Mokola roundabout, were deserted as only a few commercial drivers collected the old naira notes.

The situation was further compounded by the protests that rocked some parts of the state capital over fuel and new notes scarcity.

A commercial bus driver, Mukaila Akanbi, said he refused to collect old naira notes because filling stations rejected old notes from him.

“If I collect old naira notes, how do I spend it? Unfortunately, most banks are not opening for business,” he said.

A trader, Alice Adebola, who boarded a bus and paid with an old naira note, said the driver rejected the money.

She appealed to the government to provide enough new naira notes before the situation escalates.

“Honestly, I don’t know what to do now. I took my wares to the market, but old notes were being given to me. If I reject it, I will not sell and be able to feed my family; nobody will collect it from me if I accept it.

However, a bean seller, Kabir Mohammed, who had many people milling around him for accepting old naira notes, said he decided to do so as a strategy to sell his wares.

“I decided to collect old naira notes with the hope of selling my wares, restocking and reselling again,” he said.

Mr Mohammed urged the government to save the situation by making new naira notes available or, in the alternative, allowing old notes to be accepted as legal tender to bridge the supply gap. 

(NAN)