Sack Emeifile Now, CONGOS Urge FG

 .......... as three persons are feared dead follow protests over nonavailability of new Naira notes

By Lucky Isibor

The Conference of Non Governmental Organisations, a Benin based coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), has called on Present Muhammadu Buhari to immediately relieve Godwin Emeifile of his position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria for using the currency redesign policy to cause untold hardship to Nigerians which they alleged has led to the death of several people across the country.

The president of CONGOS, Mrs. Daisy Abiola Igaga made the call on behealf  of the coalition at a press briefing  organised to address the state of the nation termed, "The state of the nation and the macabre dance at the corridor of power: A call for caution towards engendering a development friendly social order in our country".

Mrs. Abiola who addressed the press alongside market women and traders at the popular Oliha market in Benin City, observed that the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emeifile now has tainted image and personality having been indicted by the nation's anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Directorate of State Security Services, DSS for alleged involvement in fraud related activities.

"Distinguished Nigerians here gathered, gentlemen of the press, why did Emeifile have to come with the garb of tainted image and personality to implement this agenda? Emeifile has been accused of fraudulent indulgences and has been pronounced wanted by the DSS and our all powerful EFCC. We were informed by the press that the DSS has taken over his office at a stage. The National Assembly had invited Emeifile to give clarification on the allegations against him. From Information that Emeifile was sick to Emeifile was hiding, Emeifile, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has emerged from accusations of criminal indulgences to implementing the most vicious and unjustifiable policy in political economy globally".

While condemning the alleged killing of innocent Nigerians protesting the nonavailability of naira notes, Mrs. Daisy Abiola Igaga flayed the Nigerian government for using the currency redesign to further impoverish the people as they have abandoned their economic pursuit in search of money to get the basic existential needs of food and water.

"It is painful that Nigerians are no longer indulged in active economic engagements, but are struggling to have access to money for basic existential needs of food and water. In this context they have to buy the Naira at a price to be able to afford their basic existential desires. The Naira has become a commodity and our government celebrates itself.

"The Conference of Non Governmental Organisations frawn at the collapse of economic activities in Nigeria under the guise of cashless policy or currency redesign. These are mere slogans, adopted to hoodwink the Nigerian people in an orchestra matrix tailored to entirely ruin the Nigerian economy.

"We consider the present disposition of the Nigerian government as genocidal and urge the people to begin to reassert their humanness - their expression of human dignity, their right to economic activity and existence, their right to life etched in access to food as the barest level of human survival".

In their separate remarks, the deputy market women leader (Iye Eki) of Oliha market, Mrs Eniye Ero, Hajia Rabi Abiri who is the chairperson of the Edo State Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria FOMWAN, Roseline Odiase, the initiator of INECA for health and community development and Mrs Esther Oligbo decried the prevailing situation where they have resorted to buying the Naira they saved in their banks to be able to buy the basic necessities of life and called on Nigerians to vote wisely in the 2023 general elections and vote out their oppressors.

It will be recalled that three persons were feared dead in Benin City Wednesday, 15 February in an alleged confrontation with security operatives while protesting the nonavailability of the new Naira notes in banks and rejection of the old ones by petroleum products dealers and transporters.

The protesters claimed they had endured hardship when they  gathered around the CBN office at Akpakpava ring road to seek an end to their suffering.

Relics of some Bank's Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, and Point of Sales Machines POS littered the grounds when our correspondent visited the scene.

The Police spokesman, SP Chidi Nwabuzor while confirming the incident, argued that it is still too early to corroborate the claims of the dead persons.

He, however, said fillers from senior police officers who are out to douse the rising tension would validate if there was any killing during the protest.