Ogun: Police Arrest Suspects As Yoruba, Hausa Traders Engage In Bloody Clash

Many people around Lafenwa Market in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, were said to have sustained injuries when some Yoruba youths and Hausa settlers engaged in a bloody clash.

Shops were burnt and property destroyed while some goods were looted by hoodlums as the clash which reportedly started on Monday evening raged on Tuesday.

Distraught traders whose goods were destroyed told journalists that they did not know what really caused the fight between some Yoruba hoodlums and some Hausa traders.

They however said that they learnt it was a fight between a Yoruba man and an Hausa man and the Hausa man was injured. But while the Hausa man was lying on the ground, some Hausa people reportedly thought he had died.

This was said to have provoked some Hausa youths who went on rampage attacking Yoruba people and destroying their shops. Shops were burnt and foods carted away in the process.

One Seriki Hausa was reportedly called to intervene but he was said to have been injured as some Yoruba youths, who had mobilised to stop the rampaging Hausa youths launched ‘missiles’ which hit the Hausa leader.

This was said to have worsened the clash and the injured from.both sides were said to have fled to different areas to seek treatment while few others were taken to a popular hospital in the town.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the clash to journalists said the situation had been brought under control.

The PPRO said no life was lost contrary to the report that an Hausa man was killed. He said the police had arrested some persons in connection to the crisis.

He said, “I am aware of the clash, but the situation has been brought under control and we have made some arrests. I don’t want to disclose the number of persons we have arrested, but we have made some arrests.

“But, contrary to what people are insinuating, no life was lost, but people were injured while shops were also burnt and property destroyed.

“We are still investigating the clash. The crisis is as a result of a rumour because there was a clash between a Hausa man and a Yoruba man. I think the Hausa man was injured and some people went to town with the rumour that the injured man died and that was what led to the whole thing and the issue was escalated.”