Two persons were feared killed while many others, including policemen were injured yesterday when street urchins went on rampage in some parts of Lagos, attacking traders and other road users in the process.
The crisis erupted in the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo and on Lagos Island.
The Alaba-Rago crisis started at about 8.30am when some street urchins blocked the Mile 2-Badagry expressway to celebrate the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari, but the celebration turned bloody when some of the hoodlums started manhandling road users and traders.
A witness, Jude Maduagwu, said that some youths, who were in large numbers were celebrating Buhari’s victory in last Saturday’s presidential election when violence broke out.
Maduagwu said the youth, most of whom were commercial motorcycle operators (okada riders), blocked the Mile 2-Badagry expressway and started manhandling passersby.
Tajudeen Muyideen, a commercial bus driver, said that he made a detour when he sighted the blockage and bonfire on the road made by the hoodlums. He noted that the hoodlums who were armed with cutlasses, clubs, daggers and other weapons and were beating and robbing motorists and other road users.
Chiamaka Udemadu, a trader at the Alaba International Market, said that the news of the fracas forced traders to close shop: “Two persons allegedly died while several others, including a policeman, sustained injuries. The hoodlums, after committing the dastardly act, started marching from Alaba to Okokomaiko, singing songs of victory in celebration of the President’s victory.”
The trader said that the youths were chanting “Sai
“They marched to the police division and when policemen on guard tried to stop them they attacked them. I heard gunshots and I was later told that a policeman was killed by the hoodlums. I also heard that it was the army that
“You know that
When Daily Sun visited Ojo, policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS,), the Nigerian Army, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and several police patrol teams were on
Meanwhile, on Lagos Island, hundreds of miscreants, popularly known as area boys, went on
The area boys were alleged to have accused the traders of not voting
A victim, Ogechi Obodozue,
We need heavy police protection in the markets, churches and during the governorship election.”
However, the coming of policemen to the areas on the order of the Area ‘A’ Commander, Bode Ojajuni, saved the crisis
Lagos State police spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, who confirmed the Alaba Rago incident, said that