3 killed, vehicles burnt as NURTW, hoodlums clash at the densely populated Oshodi area of Lagos

Commercial activities were grounded for the better part of yesterday at the densely populated Oshodi area of Lagos, following a renewed clash between factions of the National Union of Transport Workers, NURTW, which left three persons dead and several others injured.

Several vehicles were also burnt by the rampaging motor park touts, who freely engaged themselves with dangerous weapons. Police sources put the number of vehicles burnt at 11, while traders who partially witnessed the fracas, said over 30 vehicles were burnt.

Among those who lost their lives was a man said to have been hit by a stray bullet while on his way to work. His identity was given as Mr Amuche Ogbonna.

Although the Lagos State Police Command confirmed that only one person lost his life,according toVanguard  three persons were killed in the mayhem.

Yesterday’s clash was a spillover from last week’s supremacy fight over control of parks in the Oshodi area by NURTW members, which was allegedly hijacked by urchins, commonly called Area Boys. It reportedly started at Babalola area of Mushin last Thursday between members of the union and some loyalists of political parties, and later spread to other parts of Mushin and Oshodi, where scores of persons were injured and about nine vehicles burnt.

Trouble started, yesterday, when some law enforcement agents carried out a raid in Mosafejo area in the process of which 20 hoodlums who reside in motor parks were arrested.

Raiding of Mosafejo area

The raid, led to an argument between the factions. While a faction hailed the action, the rival faction whose members were arrested kicked against it, saying it was orchestrated by its rival faction. The argument degenerated into a fight where one of the factions was reportedly overpowered.

However, things got worse, yesterday, after the defeated faction reinforced and launched a counter attack. The counter attack was said to have started as early as 3.30 a.m., after one of the warring factions was said to have stormed Mosafejo market and set some commercial buses parked inside a park there ablaze. The burnt vehicles were said to belong to members of the rival faction.

In the process, two fire trucks said to be on their way to contain a fire incident involving a warehouse at Kayode Street, Onipanu area of the state, were prevented from continuing their journey. But for providence, the fire trucks would have also been set ablaze by the rampaging groups.

When news of the invasion reached the rival faction, they stormed the market and started burning all the commercial vehicles in the park.

Owners of some of the parked commercial buses, who got wind of the fracas reportedly rushed to the park with a view to salvaging their vehicles. Unfortunately, some of them reportedly lost them to the fire.

A victim speaks:

One of the victims; Okechukwu Emmanuel, told Vanguard, “I heard the report at 4a.m. When I rushed down, the whole place was on fire. I attempted rushing into the park to take my buses which I bought on hire purchase. But I was almost choked by thick smoke. I had to leave when members of the warring faction were approaching where I was.”

The incident caused a gridlock on both ends of the busy expressway. Traders on their part could not open their shops for the better part of the day. Several motorists, who dared to drive through the war zone had their windscreens smashed while hoodlums cashed in on the crisis to dispossess innocent and helpless Lagosians of their valuables.

Text messages were sent to loved ones to avoid the route . As at 4p.m., the gridlock caused by the crisis was still evident.

Quelling the situation

It reportedly took the joint effort of both conventional and Mobile policemen including soldiers from the 9 Brigade of the Ikeja Cantonment, to quell the situation.

At press time, pedestrians were asked to raise their hands and walk by soldiers, in order to filter innocent passersby from hoodlums, who might want to take advantage of the crowd to flee.

Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Kenneth Nwosu, disclosed that nine persons have been arrested in connection with the mayhem, saying that only one person died in the crisis.