The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has disclosed that the orgy of violence, which erupted at the Iyana-Ipaja area of the metropolis on Monday, snowballing into Tuesday and Wednesday, was over a girl.
The violence left one person dead and several others, including a police officer, injured.
According to Owoseni, who said eight people have been arrested in connection with the violence, the girl, residing at Abule Oki, went to a party and was molested by some youths at Elere, Agege.
She went home and reported to youths in her area at Abule Oki.
The youths embarked on a reprisal and soon it was bloodbath.
Scores of vehicles, including a police van, were damaged in the melee.
The youths set bonfire and blocked the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, grounding commercial and vehicular movements.
The injured policeman, attached to the Rapid Response Squad, was alleged to have been attacked and his head smashed by the hoodlums.
Eyewitnesses said the bloody clash was between Abule Oki Street boys and Alagbaa Street boys.
A shop owner, who simply identified himself as Paul, said the fracas started since Monday, leading to closure of shops.
Paul said vehicles plying Oshodi-Abeokuta Expressway were held up for several hours before the intervention of police.
Paul said: “We have not done any business since three days now. The fight can erupt at any time. They were shooting and using broken bottles. They used stones and machetes, chasing one another. They didn’t appear to be afraid of the police. It was when reinforcement from the RRS operatives came that they retreated. What we need in Iyana Ipaja are Soldiers. Miscreants are no longer afraid of policemen.”
RRS operatives were drafted to Iyana Ipaja early Wednesday morning.
The police said: “The youth, numbering over 100 had at around 9pm on Tuesday set up bonfire on the expressway, halting vehicular traffic on the two sides of the ever busy Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. On the ground quelling the violence was the Commander, Area M, ACP Austin Akika, who was later joined at the scene by the Commander, RRS, ACP Olatunji Disu.”
It was gathered RSS operatives were at the scene of the crisis on Tuesday afternoon. The RSS operatives dashed to the scene after responding to a distress call around 9pm.
The officers were able to push back the youth into the inner streets of Abule Oki.
The youth pelted police with stones and broken bottles, leading to the smashing of the police officer’s head.
He was rushed to the hospital.
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