A fatal incident rocked the Alaba Rago community in Iba, Lagos State, early Sunday, as strife erupted between local road transport workers and supporters of a traditional ruler, leading to the tragic death of a commuter attempting to cross the road.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the public disturbance stemmed from the inauguration of a newly constructed motor park, introduced by the area’s monarch. The facility, launched on Saturday, was intended to serve vehicles traveling to the northern and eastern zones of Nigeria.
One local, identified as Shola, explained, “The monarch built a park at the Alaba Market side of the road. It was unveiled on Saturday for vehicles going to the North and East.”
Discomfort grew among transport union operatives, popularly referred to as agberos, who viewed the initiative as a threat to their established operations, particularly levy collection from bus drivers. “The CP (Commissioner of Police) was even there. There was a tussle over the park between the monarch and some of the agberos. That’s what led to the fiasco,” Shola added.
Events spiraled on Sunday morning as aggressive confrontations between the rival groups resulted in violence. Abbey, another resident, described the moment the fatality occurred: “In the process of chasing themselves and fighting, a passenger was trying to cross the road near the new park when a speeding vehicle hit and killed the person on the spot.”
Distressing footage from the aftermath showed a crowd gathering in sympathy around the victim. One video depicted the lifeless figure motionless, enveloped in blood, while locals draped the body with a wrapper to shield bystanders from the harrowing scene.
Responding to the crisis, Lagos State Police Command spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin assured the public that law enforcement was working hard to ease tensions. “The CP was personally on the ground yesterday for an on-the-spot assessment,” Hundeyin confirmed. Efforts continued on Monday to mediate between conflicting parties and seek resolution at the police command headquarters in Ikeja.
okaynews.com reports that this is the latest in a string of violent confrontations between transport unions and their rivals across Lagos and nearby states. For context, in late 2023, comparable unrest in parts of Ogun State also led to considerable loss of life.
