TVC N. Butchers popularly called ‘eleran’ who use the Alayabiaga market in the Ajegunle area of Lagos clashed with suspected cultists from the same area, resulting in the death of one cultist and one butcher.
The trouble reportedly started on Tuesday night, October 4, when a butcher was killed by suspected cultists and carried over into Wednesday, October 5, leading to at least one other death, looting and injuries.
The story goes thus: A butcher who was also a commercial bus driver, on his way from a party on Tuesday around 10pm, walks into a group of suspected cultists. The cultists were just defeated by a rival group, so they take out their frustrations on the man, Adewale Fakunle, robbing him, and beating him up.
They attacked the helpless commercial bus driver with cutlasses and abandoned him in a pool of his blood to die. However, he managed to get to his 14, Baale Aiyetoro home, from where he was rushed to the hospital, only to be confirmed dead. An eyewitness said: “The fight was between some eleran (butchers) and Alayabiagba boys. One of the eleran was returning from a party at the weekend, but was ambushed by Alayabiagba boys.
“They collected his phone and money, beat him to coma, leading to his death. “The eleran boys confronted the Alayabiagba boys on why they killed their colleague. This resulted in a reprisal attack on Tuesday night during which one Alayabiagba boys was killed. “The fight continued today (Wednesday),with dangerous weapons freely used. They attacked anyone in sight. Hoodlums used the opportunity to rob innocent persons and also looted shops.”
The scene of the fight was littered with expended bullets from locally-made weapons used by the warring factions littered the area, and there were bloodstains everywhere.
Area ‘B’ Apapa Commander, Mohammed Nuru led policemen and soldiers attached to OP MESA who eventually contained the situation. Despite assurances from security operatives, residents and traders said they were still afraid of possible reprisals. Some of the traders refused to open even with the presence of the security operatives.
