•Police arrest 50
By Christopher Oji
Many people were injured, property worth millions of Naira, were destroyed when hoodlums clashed at Ile-Epo Market, Abule Egba rea of Lagos.
The hoodlums were fighting over supremacy of ownership of some shanties in the Market. It was gathered that some shops were set ablaze by the waring street uchins.
The battle of supremacy started Wednesday night, when some street uchins from Yoruba extraction ,were denied access to their shanties by their Hausa counterparts, and the action did not go down well with the Yoruba urchins, who mabilzed to take possession of what they claimed belonged them.
However, hostility resumed yesterday morning,when some of the hoodlums started burning some shanties.
A witness, Moses Alade, told our Correspondent that, “the battle started Wednesday night, but this morning (Thursday), serious fight resumed. There was misrepresentation of fact, because what happened was that some Hausa guys were burning unwanted stuff in the market; Bula trash pack behind the plaza, but the owners of shops in the market ,misconstrued the fire to be burning their shops and started burning shanties too. Really, no shop was on fire.
“The state government should intervene because the people occupying the shanties are always boasting to kill anyone who dared them and go scot free,because they have no dossier and addresses. So, any slighted provocation, they use daggers to attack their victims”.
Our correspondent who visited the scene of the incident gathered that an early intervention by the police was restricted by the hoodlums.
However, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Benjamin Hundyin,said that normalcy has returned to the place and that 50 persons have been arrested in connection with the public disturbance.
Accoeding to the PPRO:” Following reports of clashes among some youths and hoodlums in the Ile-Epo area of Lagos State, the DPO Oke-Odo, swiftly led his men to the scene, and have since restored normalcy.
“Over 50 suspects have so far been arrested, while the shanties they occupied have been destroyed, effectively dislodging them.
“Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Adegoke Fayoade, has directed the prompt prosecution of the arrested hoodlums and has equally warned that the Command would decisively deal with anyone found breaching the peace, in accordance with the law.
“Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations), Area Commander Alagbado and other Divisional Police Officers under the Area Command are currently on ground to forestall further breakdown of law and order”.