3 Dead and about 40 Vehicles Burnt As Yoruba, Igbos Clash In Lagos State

About 40 vehicles have been burnt in the clash between Yorubas and Igbos in Mushin area of Lagos as the army and police moved in to the quench the violence. Affected streets are Odushina, by Oloje; Dramola Street, Olapeju, Oshoro, Akinwunmi and Ladipo Market. Residents in the affected areas were said to have fled to avoid being caught in the mayhem.

The streets have been deserted as police and men of the OP-MESSA took over. An Armored Personnel Carrier, APC, was cited in one of the streets. A police source said he counted 40 vehicles burnt and several others with broken screens.

People have taken refuge in their houses as shops were hurriedly shut by their owners who fled to safety. Trouble started when one Agunleri, who is the Secretary of one of the market unions allegedly stormed an area where Yoruba traders were selling their wares and began to upturn the wares on the guise that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was coming to the area for a function and that there was need for the place to be cleaned up.

One of the Yoruba traders, a male was said to have challenged him on why he was upturning their wares. He was alleged to have stabbed the Yoruba man in the process. A source said other Igbo traders were mobilized to the scene and allegedly attacked the Yoruba populace, burning vehicles and destroying properties. About 15 people were said to have been stabbed and rushed to the hospital for medical attention. An eyewitness confirmed that 3 people have been declared dead at about 8:30pm