Why restrictions on old N500, N1,000 may aggravate tension’
The National Association of Nigerian Students and the National Association of Ogun State Students, on Thursday, said continued restrictions on the old N500 and N1,000 notes may further aggravate tension across the country.
The students made this known in a statement jointly signed by the Ogun state chairman of NANS, Kehinde Simeon and the National President of NAOSS, Oluwagbemileke Ogunrombi, on Thursday.
The two bodies also knocked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for failing to sack the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, over the naira redesign policy which, according to them, brought untold hardship to Nigerians.
The PUNCH reports that Buhari had in a nationwide broadcast on Thursday announced that, the old N500 and N1,000 notes remains illegal while only the old N200 note will remain as legal tender till April 2023.
But, the student bodies in a reaction said, the President’s decision might further aggravate the tension in the country and push Nigerians into more violent protests.
“It is obvious that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to take into consideration, the plight of Nigerians in taking his decision. This new development may snowball into total unrest in the country, if proactive action is not taken.
“The fact remains that N200 notes are not many in circulation as N500 and N1000. This is because many ATM machines do not dispense N200 notes”.
Speaking further in the statement, the students accused the President and the CBN governor of inflicting hardship on Nigerians.
“President Buhari and Emefiele have inflicted untold hardship and pain on innocent Nigerians with the unpopular naira redesign policy and Nigerians have showed their opposition to the policy, but Buhari and Emefiele have remained adamant.The question we want to ask President Buhari is that, is Emefiele bigger than the entire people of Nigeria that the policy cannot be reversed?
“Is Buhari not in charge of the country that he has find it difficult to yield to the demands of Nigerians and sack Emefiele?”
