Three persons were reportedly killed in a clash between the
Hausa and Yoruba community at Ijora Badia area of Lagos state yesterday July
26th. According to Vanguard, trouble started when a man named Ojo was allegedly
attacked and stabbed to death by some Hausa boys in the area. The Yoruba youths
in the area staged a protest that became violent.
"For long, these Hausa boys have been attacking people
here. They waylay people, dispose them of cash and belongings. Even rulers of
both ethnic groups are aware of the issue.”Tajudeen Shamsudeen, a resident in
the community said The demolition of shanties in the community yesterday
increased the tension in the area.
While the Hausa community claim the demolition is one-sided
as its only their houses that were demolished, the Yoruba community deny the
claim saying it was on the order of the state government.
In the course of the demolition, some Customs officers, who
residents of the area claim were invited by the Seriki Hausa, the leader of the
Hausa community, stormed the community in three patrol vehicles at about
2.30p.m. They were alleged to have shot into the air to scare off hoodlums in
the area. The hoodlums were said to have resisted the Customs officers who
allegedly attempted to stop the demolition, an action that led to a shootout,
during which three persons sustained gunshot wounds. One of the bullets from the
hoodlums hit a Customs officer who was later rushed to the hospital. One of
those hit by a stray bullet was identified to be Azeez Tajudeen. Eyewitnesses
said he was first taken to the police station for a police report, before being
rushed to an undisclosed hospital.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Lagos state
Police command, Dolapo Badmus, said contrary to eyewitnesses, only one person
died during the attack
"The community and the police were on a joint operation
of raiding black spots within the community and arresting suspected criminals
yesterday. In the process, some officers of the Nigerian Customs Service
officers, who were with officials of the National Emergency Management Agency,
NEMA, had an encounter with some of the hoodlums. They fired some shots and
three people were hit. As a result, one death was recorded, while two others
are receiving treatment in the hospital. Policemen are not involved.”she said
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