No fewer than three people have been confirmed dead, and a police inspector is in a critical, life-threatening condition following a violent clash at the Owode Onirin market area of Lagos State.
The Lagos State Police Command has restored normalcy to the area but has also declared a suspect, Abiodun Ariori, the CEO of Prosperous Ariori Golden Venture Limited, wanted in connection with the fatal incident.
The violence, which also destroyed goods worth millions of Naira, was reportedly a resumption of a long-standing land dispute. Eyewitnesses said the clashes began around 7:15 PM on Tuesday when armed men allegedly acting on behalf of Ariori attempted to enforce actions on the disputed land, despite a standing court order to maintain the status quo.
According to the Lagos Police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, police personnel had to use tear gas and fire warning shots to disperse the feuding parties. Police Commissioner Olohundare Jimoh personally led a combined team of officers to the scene to restore order. The Commissioner has since ordered a sustained police presence in the area to prevent any resurgence of the crisis. Hundeyin confirmed that the three victims who sustained fatal injuries were rushed to the hospital by the police but were pronounced dead.
The Lagos State Police Command is now actively searching for Abiodun Ariori, who is believed to be in hiding. The Command has also detained four police officers who were allegedly brought in from outside Lagos by the suspect to perform illegal duties. The outcome of their trial will be made public.
The Command also focus on Balogun Market and police clarified that it has restored law and order to Balogun Market following a public fight between hoodlums that resulted in a death. The police have clarified that the incident was not a tribal clash and have urged residents to disregard such rumors.
According to a statement from Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin, a fight broke out at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, during which one Ebuka Adindu from Abia State allegedly stabbed a person identified as Sodiq Ibrahim from Kogi State to death. Adindu then stabbed himself and is currently in police custody while receiving treatment at a hospital.
Hundeyin assured the public that no other innocent lives were lost and no property was damaged during the fight. He reiterated that the incident was a “purely between miscreants and hoodlums” and was not tribal in nature. The Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has called on all residents to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that investigations are ongoing and the suspect will be prosecuted once he is discharged from the hospital. Normalcy has been restored to the market, and people are encouraged to go about their business without fear.
