Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday ordered the temporary closure of the Mile 12 Market, following a dispute which erupted within the communities in Ketu-Mile 12 area of the state.
The Governor also announced the restriction of movement on four streets in the area namely Oniyanri, Maidan, Agiliti 1 and Agiliti 2.
At least four people died before order was eventually restored in the area.
It comes a day after National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) factions fought over control of parks in Oshodi.
Problem reportedly started on Tuesday after a Hausa commercial bike rider was accused of knocking down a woman.
The bike rider was told to take the woman to the hospital, but he and his colleagues refused.
They insisted that the motorbike association, which collects tolls from them, should take care of the woman.
A heated argument ensued, leading to a fight.
The fighting continued all through Wednesday till Thursday when some Yoruba thugs arrested Hausa traders in the area.
Several cars were set ablaze and some policemen were also injured.
Addressing Government House Correspondents at the Lagos House, Alausa, Mr Ambode said the decision to shut the market and restrict movement on the streets was to aid security agencies restore calm in the area.
“In order to further restore calm, I have ordered that Mile 12 Market be temporarily closed and urged traders, community leaders and other stakeholders to eschew violence; be calm and law abiding.
“Furthermore, I have also ordered a temporary restriction of movement in the following streets: Oniyanri Street, Maidan Street, Agiliti 1 and Agiliti 2,” he said.
The Governor said police and security operatives have been deployed to the area to quell the dispute, assuring residents that peace will be restored in the area.
“Today, I have just been informed that some miscreants and criminal elements have exploited that dispute to cause a breakdown of law and order within the area. These types of clashes do occur from time to time in a multi-ethnic city like Lagos and the government has responded appropriately.
“The public is hereby assured that we will not shy away from our responsibilities to protect lives and property and we will deal decisively with those criminal elements who fan the embers of ethnic strive,” Ambode continued.
Ambode said he had received reports from the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, and other security agencies who were on ground at the scene saying that the situation has been substantially put under control.
He also used the opportunity to reiterate that Lagos state will continue to be home to every Nigerian irrespective of their tribe or ethic affiliation, urging residents to continue to be law abiding.
“Let me assure Lagosians that the state is home to every tribe and ethnic group and nobody should give this disturbance any ethnic coloration whatsoever. Every law abiding citizens should go about their normal businesses,” Ambode said.
Also speaking, Owoseni said the police have brought the situation under control, adding that they will move in right away to enforce the order by the government.
Contrary to eyewitness accounts, he said nobody was killed during the clash, saying that such report was far from the truth.
“The restriction is starting right away and it will be so until the situation normalises completely. I was there personally I did not witness anybody killed. I was there all through before I came here. The situation is calm; people that were agitating have been cleared off the road. The roads are clear and as I am talking to you, substantial arrest has been made and I can assure the public that those involved in that violence will be brought to justice,” the Police boss said.
Owoseni dismissed reports that there was a fire outbreak in Mile 12 Market, adding that over 50 suspects have been arrested in connection to the dispute in the area.
“I’m telling you what I saw and what I witnessed. As at the time I left the scene to come to this place, there was no fire at Mile 12 Market. It was within Agiliti where some vehicles were being burnt by miscreants and as I told you, those miscreants have been cleared off the road,” Owoseni said.
@ Gidi_taffic Police Keeping aggrieved Mile 12 youth in check and preventing them from crossing Agiliti Link Bridge pic.twitter.com/kKQlgOVmrB
— Rapid Response Squad (@rrslagos767) March 3, 2016
@ Gidi_traffic, Mile 12 Crisis: Police, Army clears crisis scenes pic.twitter.com/ZI1KNlJD81
— Rapid Response Squad (@rrslagos767) March 3, 2016
No fewer than 15 vehicles were vandalised and several people injured in the chaos caused by rival transport union groups in Oshodi on Wednesday.
A faction gathered at Bolade bus stop, the other, on Brown Street, wielding sticks, cutlasses and other weapons.
Passersby, who were caught up in the conflict, were reportedly dispossessed of their valuables as hoodlums took advantage of the confusion to perpetrate crime.
