On Monday, an employee of the Lagos State University (LASU), Johnson Ademola, died while waiting to withdraw money from a Wema Bank branch at the university. Johnson Ademola was the Financial Officer of the Faculty of Law and CEO of Accounts. He was also a Research Astrophysicist.
Some reports claimed that Ademola was one of the Deputy Bursars of the institution, which the LASU Coordinator for the Centre for Information and Public Relations, Olaniyi Jeariogbe, denied.
According to a LASU employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the crisis that followed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s naira redesign policy caused Ademola’s death.
The bank was allegedly allowing a maximum of N5,000 withdrawals, leading to online reports that Ademola died while in the queue to withdraw N5,000.
The LASU spokesperson clarified that Ademola left the office to carry out some personal transactions at the bank when he died. The recent naira redesign policy has caused a scarcity of the naira across the country, leading to violent protests and the burning of banks and other properties.
Governors of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara states sued the Federal Government over the policy. The Supreme Court granted an interim injunction restraining the CBN and FG from implementing the February 10 expiration of the legal tender status of the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes. The apex court has adjourned the hearing till February 22, 2023.
