Violence erupted in the Ile-Epo area of Lagos State on Thursday, leading to numerous injuries and significant damage after hoodlums clashed within a local market in the axis.
The confrontation, which began on Wednesday night, continued unabated into Thursday morning, culminating in the arson as several shops and merchandise were set on fire by the warring hoodlums.
According to eyewitnesses, the skirmish escalated quickly, with groups setting ablaze multiple storefronts. “It was chaos. Flames were everywhere, and all you could hear were screams and the shattering of glass,” said one of the vendor at the market, who preferred to remain anonymous for safety reasons.
Police efforts to quell the unrest were met with resistance. “Our team was dispatched promptly, but the intensity of the mob and their hostility hampered our intervention efforts,” a Lagos State Police spokesperson stated. The police were investigating the cause of the fight and have vowed to restore order.
Additionally, emergency services faced severe impediments. A Lagos State Fire Service truck was forced to retreat after a hostile crowd attacked it with stones. “We attempted to access the scene to douse the flames, but it became too dangerous to proceed,” explained a firefighter at the scene.
Authorities were currently assessing the extent of the damage and have promised to increase security in the area to prevent further escalation. The market remains closed until further notice as cleanup and investigations continue.
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