3 Killed As Area Boys, Tricycle Rider Clash Over N200 In Lagos

At least three persons were killed and two others injured when a violent clash erupted between suspected area boys and a tricycle operator in the Ikola area of Lagos State yesterday.

The clash reportedly began after the suspected area boys allegedly stopped the tricycle rider and demanded N200 from him.

The Lagos State Police Command, which confirmed the incident, said the rider refused to pay, prompting the group to allegedly seize his tricycle.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebesi, the rider later returned with some persons, leading to a confrontation between the two groups.

“Sadly, three persons were reportedly killed, while two others sustained injuries,” Adebesi said in a statement issued yesterday.

She added that some buildings were also reportedly set ablaze during the ensuing violence, while the deceased and injured persons were taken to the Military Hospital, Yaba, for necessary medical attention and other procedures.

Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Olaiwola Fatai, accompanied by the Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Afolabi Owolabi, visited the scene to assess the situation and coordinate the security response.

The Command said operatives from the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit, Tactical Squad, Police Mobile Force, Eko Strike Force and Violence Crime Response Unit had been deployed to the area.

Adebesi said the operatives were maintaining law and order and conducting continuous monitoring to prevent further escalation.

She described the situation as “firmly under control,” adding that the Command had commenced an investigation into the incident.

The PPRO warned that anyone found culpable in connection with the violence would face the full weight of the law.

The Command also urged residents to remain calm and desist from spreading unverified information capable of worsening the situation.

It appealed to members of the public with credible information to assist investigators in establishing the circumstances surrounding the deaths and identifying those responsible.