There was tension on St. Francis, Ilaje and Owode streets in the Iwaya, Yaba area of Lagos on Saturday when rival hoodlums clashed and damaged no fewer than 15 vehicles in the mayhem.
Punch learnt that the cause of the hoodlums’ rampage was a woman in the area reportedly dating two rival members.
Our correspondent gathered that at about 10pm on Friday, the mayhem started with some hoodlums vandalising cars parked on the streets. The violence reportedly lasted till Saturday during which residents and shop owners alerted the police.
Policemen from the Sabo division were said to have arrived at the scene, but the hoodlums reportedly fled.
When Punch visited the area on Monday, our correspondent noticed damaged vehicles and the splinters of glasses on the streets.
A landlord, whose vehicle was damaged, but who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the mayhem started about 11pm on Friday and lasted till Saturday.
He said, “On Friday, around 10pm, they started running after one another with weapons. Soon, they started damaging vehicles. They broke the windscreens of my vehicle, and I dared not confront them. One of the hoodlums was dating a girlfriend of a member of rival group and it caused the clash. But how does that concern my vehicle?
“This area is vulnerable because there are many hideouts for these hoodlums. Last year, they went to the Iwaya Police Post, and ransacked the place. The only way they express grievances is to destroy people’s cars.”
A motor mechanic in the area, Abiola Kamoru, said hoodlums from Owode clashed with those from Ilaje Street.
He said, “The boys fought over a girlfriend. They are not cultists. They are just street thugs. It is Owode Street versus Ilaje Street. They entered each other’s area and vandalised the vehicles. They invaded the area on Friday and Saturday.
“The policemen from Sabo, led by the Divisional Police Officer, came to the area on Friday to confront the thugs, but they all ran away. However, the area appears to be getting calm now.”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Patricia Amadin, said what happened was a family dispute in the area, and not a street fight.
She said, “Two families in the area had a dispute, which was reported to the police. There was no street violence. The area is calm now.”
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