Following a clash between agberos, or road transport workers, and followers of a local traditional ruler, violence erupted in the Alaba Rago neighborhood of Iba, Lagos State, on Sunday.
A pedestrian who has not yet been named was killed during the disturbances when he was hit by a speeding car.
According to reports, the event happened after a new auto park was opened nearby, purportedly created by the king to accommodate cars heading to northern and eastern Nigeria. According to reports, the facility, which was opened over the weekend, caused friction among current transport employees, who saw it as a challenge to their authority over the park system and local revenue collection.
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According to locals, the altercation started early on Sunday and grew more intense as the two groups faced each other close to the recently built park. During the altercation, an oncoming car struck a pedestrian who was trying to cross the street, causing fatal injuries. The victim passed away instantly.
Concerned locals gathered around the body in the disturbing scene captured on camera at the scene of the incident, according to local sources. In one video, onlookers were seen hiding the remnants behind a wrapper.
The Lagos State Police Command responded to the disturbances by confirming that steps had been taken to bring the peace back. The state’s Commissioner of Police conducted an on-the-spot inspection in the region and met with the parties involved at the command headquarters in Ikeja the next day, according to police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin.
According to the police, efforts are being made to mediate a settlement and stop the conflict from getting worse.
