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Scene of the fire. CREDIT | Dayo Oyewo
The clash that erupted at the Oke Odo Market in Lagos State was triggered by the alleged refusal of a betting agent to pay out winnings to a gambler.
PUNCH Online gathered that a fight started in the market situated in the area on Wednesday night and continued till Thursday morning.
The hoodlums residing in the shanties beside the market were said to have wielded weapons during the clash with the traders.
Some shops were also set on fire, while goods belonging to traders were destroyed in the process.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident, gathered that an early intervention by the police was resisted by the hoodlums.
A fire service truck that also drove into the market was forced to turn back after being pelted with stones.
An eyewitness, Kudirat Balogun, said a trader in the market staked a bet and was not given a part payment after winning the bet.
Balogun added that this infuriated the gambler, who mobilised his colleagues to the betting shop, thereby leading to a free-for-all.
Balogun said, “They are used to playing bets, and the one they played yesterday caused an argument. One of them said he was not paid the full amount of the game he won.
“So he went ahead to mobilise his colleagues, and that was how a fight broke out yesterday. They also started to destroy people’s shops in the process.”
Another trader who gave his name as Taofiq said the fight lasted through the night.
He said, “The hoodlums, in retaliation, waited till evening and started to set some parts of the fire on the market. That was how the two factions started to destroy each other’s goods.”
It was gathered that the goods destroyed were worth millions of naira.
Some of the hoodlums were also said to have looted shops belonging to some traders during the crisis.
The traders whose shops were affected were seen counting their losses.
One of the affected traders said her goods were not spared in the clash, “I sell tomatoes, onions, and other condiments. When I heard what happened this morning, I quickly rushed down only to discover that my goods had been affected.”
Another trader was also seen lamenting over newly bought bags of corn that were destroyed during the clash.
Another eyewitness who preferred anonymity for personal reasons said the traders called the attention of the authorities to the activities of the hoodlum, but nothing was done.
“We saw this coming, and we called the attention of the authorities to it, but nothing was done. The hoodlums, especially the ones occupying the shanties, have always caused trouble and have also been a threat to the traders. I think the police will do the needful now that this has happened.”
The state police command, however, assured all that normalcy had been restored in the area.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement obtained by our correspondent, said over 50 suspects had so far been arrested while the shanties they occupied have been destroyed, effectively dislodging them.
“The 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, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations), Area Commander Alagbado and other Divisional Police Officers under the Area Command are currently on the ground to forestall further breakdown of law and order,” the statement added.
