Scores injured as Area boys clash in Lagos

By Albert Akpor
COMMERCIAL and social activities were stalled for several hours Thursday in Fadeyi area of Lagos after factions of Motor park touts engaged themselves in a bloody clash. The cause of the fracas was not immediately known but sources said, it may not be unconnected with the sharing formula of a loot collected from an unnamed businessman.

The rampaging touts reports say, came out in their numbers, blocked a major highway and started attacking innocent passers by. They were said to had vandalized several cars, caused long queue of vehicles while some motorists made quick U-turn to avoid being caught in between the fracas. Sources said the fight which lasted for hours left on its trial scores badly injured. But a team of anti-riot policemen was promptly dispatched to the troubled zone following which normalcy was restored.

Lagos state police public relations officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu who confirmed the clash said the Areasboys were fighting over unspecified amount of money. He said one person has been arrested in connection with the fight, adding that two locally made pistols cut to size was recovered from the scene.

In a related development, traders at the popular Lawanson Market fled their stalls Thursday after a group also suspected to be Area boys otherwise called Agbero clashed. Dangerous weapons like knives, broken bottles and axes were freely used.

The cause of the clash was also not known, but sources said it was a show of supremacy over ownership of a park.  But the police from the nearby Itire Division led by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO was on hand to restore normalcy.  It was not clear whether any arrest was made in connection with the fight.

But when Vanguard visited the area, broken bottles littered the entire roads while traders and motorists were spotted in groups at strategic locations discussing the incident.