A group of street urchins popularly called ‘Area boys’ were on Tuesday seen looting a section of the famous Balogun market, located within the Lagos central business district which was engulfed by fire.
The incident, which attracted public condemnation especially from Nigerians on Twitter, has brought into public glare one of the menace of area boys especially during conflict situation in the country.
A tweet by one Nigerian with the twitter handle @phunky_ read: “Lagos Island Balogun market is on fire, yet the thugs there are robbing shops.”
Lagos island Balogun market is on fire ?????, yet the thugs there are robbing shops. pic.twitter.com/Rxv1sop0tQ
— Funke Fatai ❤️ #Bbnaija (@phunky___) November 5, 2019
Another Nigerian Twitter user @eetz_naheem also posted: “When God said “Be your brother’s keeper” I think Nigerians were there… Fire outbreak in Balogun market, and you’re using that as medium to rob your neighbours!”
When God said “Be your brother’s keeper” I think Nigerians were there…
Fire outbreak in Balogun market, and you’re using that as medium to rob your neighbors!
God help us ?
— tweet GOAT ? | Na’eem ♐ (@eetz_naheem) November 5, 2019
Similarly, another tweet from a Nigerian with the handle: @_igwilo read: “Can Nigeria get any better? There’s a fire outbreak in one of the popular areas in Lagos Island “Balogun market” & instead of most nearby to assist in quenching the fire, they see it as an avenue to perpetuate Robbery. When will we stop to feed off the misery of others, when?”
Can Nigeria get any better? There’s a fire outbreak in one of the popular areas in Lagos island “balogun market” & instead of most nearby to assist in quenching the fire, they see it as an avenue to perpetuate Robbery.
When will we stop to feed off the misery of others, when?
— Kelechi † (@_igwilo) November 5, 2019
Another Nigerian with the Twitter handle: @tunji96 posted:
The things we see on Lagos Island:
Daylight Rubbery
Thugs Riots
Killings of innocent people
Fire out breaksWe can’t even walk comfortably with our phones at night nah slap they go use collect am ????
We need help ??
5th of November #Balogun #LagosIsland #Nigeria pic.twitter.com/5eHSI6dYfa
— Nigga Daddy ? (@tunji96) November 5, 2019
Daily Trust however reports that men of the Lagos state Fire Service and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) are still battling to end the raging fire as it reportedly consumes majorly a textile section of the famous market.
The cause of the inferno is yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, just as the values of goods and properties destroyed by the fire cannot be determined yet, sources said.
Watch the section of the Balogun market engulfed in fire in a tweet video posted by another Nigerian via his Twitter handle: @adefaye_ below:
Happening right now on Lagos island (Balogun market) pic.twitter.com/BMzJ99uUtD
— YOUR ANCESTORS ❤? 3.0 (@adeFAYE_) November 5, 2019
