Police in Ogun have arrested 27 suspects in connection with the violence that occurred in Sagamu on Monday morning.
State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this on Monday, a few hours after the violence, which led to the vandalisation of two banks, broke out.
The PPRO in a terse statement, said normalcy had returned to the area.
Oyeyemi said, “Normalcy has been restored in greater parts of Sagamu now. CP Frank Mba is personally leading police teams and some military men to tackle the situation.
“About 27 suspects have been arrested.”
Violence broke out on Monday morning when some irate youths in Sagamu, Ogun State, went on the rampage following their inability to withdraw cash.
The protesters, who made bonfires, barricaded the Sagamu-Benin expressway and others, preventing human and vehicular movements.
It was learnt that violence broke out as early as 8am when the angry youths took to the streets over alleged stoppage of the banks’ operations.
It was further gathered that the youths became enraged when the Automated Teller Machines reportedly stopped dispensing cash.
President Muhammadu Buhari had last week ordered that the old N200 notes be allowed to co-exist with the new notes till April 10 while both old N500 and N1,000 notes ceased to be legal tender.
Two banks were reportedly vandalised during the violence.
The affected banks, according to residents, were Keynote and Union banks.
The traditional ruler of the town, the Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, has appealed for calm.
A statement released from his palace read, “I appeal to all to remain calm and peaceful as we continue to engage the Federal Government.
“This policy is not from the State or local government. Therefore, the destruction of lives and properties will only compound an already bad situation.
“I urge our people to continue to accept the old notes in line with the Supreme Court ruling. No person who accepts the old notes would lose out. I can assure you of that, and please hold on to that promise.
“Further, I am also mandating all our market people to continue to accept the old notes. I hereby undertake that no one will lose out for possessing the old notes.”