Jumoke Esuola and Habeeb Olokooba report
The students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, have expressed deep grief over scarcity of the new Naira notes on campus.
The situation has made it difficult for them to access the necessary items needed such as handouts, foodstuffs and others, because vendors have started rejecting the old N200, N500 and N1000 naira notes.
Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria has proclaimed January 31, 2023, as the deadline for the validity of the old Naira notes.
“ I queued at the bank for hours, and when it was about to reach my turn, the ATM machine just halted from dispensing money. I went to about three different POS attendants and they all said they don’t have banknotes available. I have many handouts to buy and other things I need to pay for,” Marvelous, a 300-level student of Sociology lamented.
Also , speaking with The News Digest Press, Hajar, a 100 level student of Biochemistry bemoaned over the exchange of her old Naira note with an extra charge.
“I took old 2000 Naira note to the mini-mart and I was given 1800 new notes,” she said.
Another victim is Umar Aliyu, a 100-level student from faculty of law, who narrated his ordeal with a bike man at Jubril Aminu hostel said, “ I wanted to board a bike to home and I was having only old one thousand Naira note with me. I asked if the bike has a change but rather replied that he doesn’t take old currency. Then, I had no option than to trek down to Gidan Yaro, after a very hectic reading day.”
Imran, a 100- level political science student and Point Of Sales attendant, reacted over how his business has not been going well with him.
“Yesterday, my business was broken-hearted as people insisted not to accept the old Naira notes from me. I need to change these old naira notes so that things can go back to normal.”
Meanwhile, an extra charge to get new Naira note has made some of the students to cry over the situation
In an interview with a student who pleaded anonymity, told the News Digest Press that: “ The POS attendant I went to withdraw 2000 from, collected 150 Naira as charge, which used to be 100 Naira before. He claimed that he went through a lot before he could get the new notes from bank.”