There seems to be a centrifugal force tugging at certain groups of people in Lagos to resort to violence after some lull. This group of people must hate a peaceful atmosphere. They claw at anything that will inexorably draw them to violence and in the wake, shatter the peace of the neighbourhood, leave sorrow, tears and blood. Sometimes, death is even given.
For three days running, there have been tales of skirmishes here and there in Lagos. The brushes involve either faction of local vigilance groups striving for supremacy or transporters slugging it out over the control of local unions. Whichever is the case, there is usually a free for all in which dangerous implements are deployed. People get injured. Unlucky passersby get bruised.
The police, not patient during such nasty occurrences, are called in to restore law and order. Acting to the word force in their name, they deploy maximum force to quell the disturbance. Live bullets are used. The unlucky carry home bullet wounds in addition to machete cuts or broken bottle stabs. The rhythm of life in the commercial capital of the country is disturbed. Fear is spread around unnecessarily.
On Tuesday, there was some localised fighting in Fagba area, Iju on the outskirt of the city. On Wednesday, there was a serious brawl in Ladipo, Mushin area in the mainland. And yesterday, there were clashes in Ojuelegba area, and on the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMAI) Road, both on the mainland.
Although, yesterday's fighting at Ojuelegba was more widespread and protracted because it started on Wednesday night and dragged on till yesterday morning, it recorded no casualties. The one at the MMAI Road was unrelated to that at Ojuelegba. There were also no casualties.
But the Ladipo clash, it was reported, caused the death of at least one person whose identity was not disclosed. In all the fightings, the quick intervention of the police brought back normalcy in record time.
A trader, Mrs. Janet Agwu, whose textile shop at Ojuelegba was razed said yesterday: "A fellow trader called me at home this morning that I should come to Ojuelegba as quickly as possible. I live at FESTAC Town and by the time I got here, everything was on fire.
"All the cloths in my shop had been looted and the rest were set on fire.
"About N1.5 million worth of textiles made up of ankara and lace materials were carted away".
She continued: "We are not on the road, neither do we participate in the motor garage politics. I do not know why the misunderstanding between them should be extended to us to the extent that they broke into our shops and stole our goods."
Another woman, Mrs. Rita Udoh, who sells food said her shop was equally vandalised.
"Since I lost my husband a few years ago, my only source of livelihood is this shop. This is where I feed myself and my four children from. Now everything has been razed because some groups of people are fighting over position.
"The fight has been on for almost a week. The police could not help. Government should do something about this situation urgently," she said.
A commercial bus operator, Mr. Sunday Afolabi, said that his two commercial buses, which he used to park under the Ojuelegba bridge, were also vandalised during the m?lZe.
According to him: "I use to park my two Toyota Hiace buses under the bridge. I live at Ketu and by the time I came after I had a distress call, the two buses had been vandalised".
He said the "fight between the two factions of the Road Transport Employers' Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) over who would head the union. Since they have not been able to resolve the problem, it has resulted in a riot".
A member of the union who preferred anonymity said the riot was not a fight between factions but rather that it was the unemployed youths in Ojuelegba who vandalised the vehicles at night.
"The unemployed youths in the area have been trying to take over the control of the motor parks in Ojuelegba which we have been resisting.
"But during our absence on Wednesday, they organised themselves and started to destroy our buses. About 25 of our commercial buses parked under the bridge were destroyed. They also broke my shop and looted my property," he said.
Debunking the claim that the fight was between factions, he said: "There was a misunderstanding between us over held election. The state branch waded into the matter by desolving the house and appointing a caretaker committee.
"However, the youths in the area who have been looking for an opportunity to carry out their heinous act, cashed in on the stalemate. I thank God that no life was lost but dangerous weapons such as machetes and arrows were used. Some of the bus conductors who normally sleep under the bridge were injured," he said.
He, however, lamented the nonchalance of the Surulere Police Command during the fracas, saying: "If the Surulere Police Command had risen to the challenge, the excesses of the youths could have been checked. The Command allowed the situation to degenerate to that level".
A staff of a publishing house who sustained injuries during the riot early yesterday was undergoing treatment at Gbagada General Hospital.
A police officer in the team that quelled fighting said it was a fight by the hoodlums and the transporters.
The officer could not say what led to it. He said the level of destruction to property was serious even though no life was lost.
"Several people sustained injuries while many shops were looted during the clash. It started around 11.30 p.m. on Wednesday.
A source at the Area "C" Police Command,Surulere confirmed to The Guardian that the fight was by the Road Transport Employers Associations of Nigerian (RTEAN) over their internal politics.
According to him, dangerous weapons such as matchete, guns, knives and bottles were used freely. Four of the rioters were arrested by the police and remanded in the station.
Some people believe that the state government is to blame for the fights.
According to a trader who lost her goods at Ojuelegba. "There was a time the state government intended to take over control of the parks from these hoodlums but we did not know what happened. The decision was rescinded. These people do not have the capacity to handle a part as big as Ojuelegba", she said.
The spokesman for Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Segun Ogundeji also confirmed that the ministry is aware of the incident and will soon come out with its report.
A source in the ministry however said that the ministry may likely take over the control of Ojuelegba Park in line with the previous agreement that any motor park where there is a riot leading to blood shed and destruction of property, would be taken over by the government.
The Tuesday disturbance in Iju was said to have been between some members of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) led by Taiwo Fatai and the Iju Monarch, Baale Durojaiye Sewage. Many people were injured during the fight over an attempt to stage a rally in the neighbourhood.
The Wednesday clash was between factions of a popular vigilance group in Ladipo and transporters in Ladipo-Oshodi axis. The vigilantes who came on two commuter mini-buses with their banner were said to have dispossessed the owners of the commuter vehicles thus disrupting commercial activities for several hours.
As the transporters fought back, the trouble was deepened.
At the Under-Bridge Bus Stop on MMAI in Ajao Estate, the trouble was over the ownership of a portion of land near the fly-over. The land, on which the former occupants planted trees, was said to have been the bone of contention.
According to a witness, a man who was alleged to have bought the portion of land came with hoodlums to take possession of it. Trouble ensured when the loafers stripped the garden of its plants and flowers, which led to a fight with the former owner.
Dangerous weapons were said to have been used, injuring some passers-by.
"One man was injured on the hand. The man was driving through the expressway when a sharp instrument pierced through his car windscreen to injure him on the hand", the witness said.
By 2.00 p.m., calm had return to the area as a team of policemen were stationed to avert excalation.
.
Buy on AliExpress.com
) than it doesnt really matter.
