- Safiu Kehinde
The Lagos State Police Command has refuted claims of a tribal clash outbreak at the popular Balogun market in Lagos Island.
NPO Reported that a clash had on Tuesday broken out at the Mandilla section of the market with one person confirmed dead.
The fight had allegedly started following the murder of a Yoruba man by an Igbo trader.
According to several accounts posted on X, an argument had ensued between the Yoruba man and the Igbo trader which quickly transcended to physical assault.
The duo was alleged to have resorted to stabbing each other with the Yoruba man sustaining more injury.
He was rushed to a hospital where he was confirmed dead.
In retaliation, his colleagues had stormed the market in reprisal attack which led to the all-out clash.
Videos shared on X showed people chasing and attacking one another with harmful objects as other traders and their customers scampering for safety.
While confirming the mayhem, the Lagos Police Command in a statement issued on Tuesday evening refuted claims of the fight being a tribal clash.
The Command in the statement issued by its spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, described the the incident as a free-for-all fight which occured following the murder of a Kogi State indigene identified as Sodiq Ibrahim.
According to the statement, Ibrahim was stabbed one Emeka Adindu, an Abia state indigene, who in turn stabbed himself.
While Ibrahim was confirmed dead, Adindu was rushed to hospital where he was stabilised and arrested by the police.
The Command affirmed that no other loss of life was recorded, adding that normalcy had since returned to the market.
The statement read; “The Lagos State Police Command hereby wish to inform the general public that there was no tribal clash or disturbance between any ethnic groups and the others inside Balogun Market today.
“There was an incident of a free-for-all fight between some hoodlums and miscreants in the Balogun Market in the early hours of today at around 11am.
“During the fight, one Ebuka Adindu from Abia State stabbed one Sodiq Ibrahim from Kogi State to death and the said Ebuka Adindu in turn stabbed himself on the shoulder and became unconscious.
“He is currently under arrest in the hospital where he is being treated.
“Investigation into the matter will be concluded and he will be prosecuted after he has been discharged from the hospital.
“There was no loss of innocent lives or injury to any person or damage to goods and properties of marketers inside Balogun Market.
“The Lagos State Police Command wish to reiterate that the incident is not a tribal clash but purely between miscreants and hoodlums around the Balogun Market.
“Normalcy has been restored. Marketers and the general public on the Island and other parts of Lagos State are encouraged to go about their businesses and other lawful endeavors without fear or apprehension.
“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, calls on all residents to remain law-abiding and cooperate with the police Command to sustain existing peace in the state and not to spread fear in the mind of the public as Lagos is generally peaceful.”