A violent clash erupted on Tuesday between diesel hawkers and a group known as the ‘Show Boys’ at Mile 2 on the Oshodi-Apapa expressway in Lagos, resulting in one person feared dead and several others injured.
Various accounts have emerged regarding the cause of the altercation.
One version suggests that the conflict originated from a dispute over the sale of adulterated petrol.
Another account attributes it to disagreements over unjustified price hikes in petroleum products by diesel hawkers.
Eyewitnesses narrated that a customer who purchased diesel from a roadside hawker returned, accusing the seller of providing oil instead of diesel.
The disagreement escalated into a physical confrontation involving the use of dangerous objects.
According to Sheu, a witness, the hawkers were selling petrol for inflated prices to individuals struggling to make ends meet.
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Despite being advised to lower their prices on Monday, as they didn’t pay for the space, they refused to comply.
The argument over pricing eventually led to the brawl.
Shamsudeen, another eyewitness, specified that the altercation was between roadside diesel sellers and the Show Boys group.
The skirmish resulted in the destruction of some of the hawkers’ products and turned violent, though the exact number of casualties remained unclear.
Commercial bus drivers corroborated the chaos, stating that operations at Mile 2 were halted for almost an hour due to the conflict.
They refrained from driving through the area to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
Though reports varied, with some claiming two to three fatalities and others alleging more, the exact casualty count remained unconfirmed.
Law enforcement officers from Area ‘H’ Command Festac eventually intervened, quelling the disturbance and restoring order.
Efforts to apprehend two members of one faction were reportedly met with resistance, as they denied involvement in the altercation.
The incident disrupted commercial activities temporarily, with bus drivers steering clear of the area to avoid further unrest.
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