Kaduna residents flooded commercial banks on Tuesday following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive that old N500 and N1,000 notes remain valid legal tender until December 31.
Many commercial banks’ gates were full before 8:00 am, with customers optimistic that their sufferings have come to an end.
Mrs. John Grace, who said she stood at the first Bank gate since 6:00 am this morning, said she was sure of going home with money.
Mr. Jusmana Moses, who banks with United Bank for Africa, said his bank would not have any excuses to give.
“It’s either they give me new notes or old currency,” he said.
Peter Abraham, a Zenith Bank customer, expressed confidence that the bank has no excuses today because the old currency received can easily be disbursed to customers.
However, Dr. Musa Yahaya, an account officer in one of the commercial banks in Kaduna, told DAILY POST that the bank has no money to pay customers, adding that all the old notes were taken to the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“As I am speaking with you now, the bank has no dim to pay to its customers. We are all depending on the CBN to give us money. It could be old or new, depending on the available currency,” he said.