There was uneasy calm at Mile 12 area of Lagos on Friday following the previous day’s riot in which at least six people died and many were injured, with property worth millions of naira destroyed. Daily Trust learnt that despite assurances from security agencies and the state government that normalcy had returned to the area, the situation was still tense.
The crisis spread on Friday afternoon to other parts of Kosofe in Ikosi-Isheri Local Government Area even as some residents were seen fleeing the area for fear of attack. The fracas had broken out in the Agiliti area of Mile 12 on Thursday following an alleged altercation between a commercial motorcycle rider who allegedly hit and injured a boy and a group of people in the popular perishable goods Mile 12 market.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had declared a curfew in the area while security agents including soldiers were mobilized to the crisis zone to restore normalcy. However, checks by our correspondent revealed that all was far from being normal as some aggrieved people allegedly regrouped to attack their opponents on Friday.
Our correspondent who visited the area yesterday observed the presence of heavily armed security men in the area. But the warring individuals still regrouped from other parts of Mile 12 not manned by the security agents as gunshots were heard at about 4.00pm.
A resident who simply identified himself as Chukwuemeka told our correspondent that some members of a particular ethnic group felt cheated in the crisis and were determined to retaliate. Also, a resident of Isaac Adenuga Estate in the area who identified himself simply as Solomon said he had to relocate his family because of the pervasive tension. Many other residents had relocated in droves out of fear.
The Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, on Friday, met representatives of Mile 12, Maidan and Agiliti at the State House in Alausa, Ikeja where the communities promised to live peacefully with one another. He said the state government was studying the situation and would address all the issues that had arisen decisively, with a view to ensuring that it would not recur.
Speaking at the meeting, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr I.O Edgal insisted that the Police High Command had secured the Agiliti area and its environs.
