The clashes, which left two dead and many injured,
occurred at the Idioro-Mushin
and Ijegun areas of the state.
In Mushin, over
30 youth were arrested after boys from Alamutu and Alaka Elegba streets,
engaged in a deadly battle, leading to injury, looting and burning of shops and
buildings.
The Mushin clash is between two
cult groups, while the Ijegun crisis is between members of the Oodua People’s
Congress (OPC) and Hausa scavengers.
At Idioro-Mushin
area, many people were injured, while two persons were killed in Ijegun.
The cultists in Mushin were
said to have come from two streets. The mayhem, which grounded commercial
activities in Mushin, witnessed residents locking themselves indoors.
Trouble started when youth numbering over
100 invaded Idi Oro market and reportedly demanded money. Youth in Alamutu
Street resisted the move, this led to a fight
Dangerous weapons; machetes, axe, iron rods and
bottles were freely used during the fight.
At least three shops and a building were burning
when police arrived at the scene. Food items bags of beans, bags of garri, fufu
and palm oil were destroyed.
While the fight raged, another set of hoodlums
seized the opportunity to loot shops and also steal food items.
The Mushin mayhem was quelled by operatives of the Rapid
Response Squad (RRS). The RRS men dispersed the hoodlums with canisters of tear
gas before the arrival of more policemen.
A pharmacy store owner, who declined to mention his
name, said that stated that his shop was burnt because he refused to give the cultists
N600. He noted that this was the third time his shop would be burnt over one crisis
or the other in Idi Oro.
About 30 youth have so far been arrested over the
incident. Residents confirmed those arrested were leaders and gang members
involved in the fracas.
More than three bags of Indian hemp, machetes, axes
and rods were recovered by RRS and Taskforce officials.
A resident said: “There has
been a week long clashes between Akala Street boys, railway junction boys and
New Balogun Street. The clashes snowballed into Monday’s
bloody fight. Last week, two people were killed.”
A witness, who simply
identified himself as Mr. Oke, said Idioro has known no peace for over a week
now.
Oke said: “I have not seen such
a volatile area since I came to Lagos. There’re many hoodlums and street urchins,
who specialise in drinking, womanizing , cyber fraud, Indian hemp smoking ,
cultism and violence. Police have not been able to identify these boys and deal
decisively with them. We need the presence of a military barracks here to put
an end to this crisis. We no longer sleep with our two eyes close.”
A commercial bus driver, Mr.
Ajani Oshodi, said: “As early as 7am, the fight had
already begun. I didn’t know. Nobody told me. I loaded passengers and ran onto
them at Idioro. They turned on innocent passengers and started snatching their
handbags and phone.”
At Ijegun, some Hausa
scavengers yesterday embarked on a protest, claiming that two of their brothers
were killed by members of the OPC, guarding oil pipelines.
They also alleged that they
live along the pipeline area, but are always being harassed and intimidated by
the OPC members.
It was learnt an OPC member
stormed the area and demanded money from the scavengers. The scavengers refused
to give the money.
The OPC left and later
returned with re-enforcement. The scavengers and also mobilized their men and
increased in number. It was alleged that sporadic gunshots from the OPC members
killed Gazali Rabiu and Gadaffi Barawu.
At least 10 others were said to
have sustained various degree of injuries and were rushed to the hospital.
In a return attack, the Hausa
scavengers called their people in other communities. They teamed up and
destroyed OPC’s security posts along the pipeline region.
It took the intervention of the Area M Commander, Idimu, Mr. Austine
Akika, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP)
and the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of Igando and Isheri to calm the angry
scavengers.
The Lagos State Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Olarinde Famous Cole, who confirmed the
Idiroko-Mushin incident, said that teams of policemen had been drafted to the
scene. According to him there was no casualty.
He added: “We’re urging law
abiding citizens to go about their normal businesses as police have subdued the
erring hoodlums. Some arrests have been made and those arrested are helping us
to get to others at large.”
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