Scores arrested over ethnic violence in Lagos

One person was feared killed in the Ojota area of Lagos State on Friday as persons said to be Hausa scavengers renewed hostilities with their Yoruba counterparts around Kotomola area of the community.

The  Saturday Tribune also gathered that following the violent clashes, over one hundred people were arrested during an operation in the area led by the deputy commissioner of police in the state, Muhammed Alli.

The state police public relations officer, Chike Oti confirmed the clashes but denied that anybody was killed as a result of the violence.

The police spokesperson also said that the police had taken over the situation and that normalcy had been restored in the area .

Oti confirmed that “some suspects” had been arrested in connection with the incident and that the police in the state had begun investigations on it.

When the Saturday Tribune visited the area on Friday evening, heavy police presence was observed apparently to forestall further reprisal attacks.

While residents of the area insisted that the clash might not be unconnected with a rivalry between the Hausa scavengers in Kotomola and Yoruba hoodlums in the area, there were also claims that the clash occurred after an unnamed Hausa youth beat up a Yoruba boy.

It was gathered that the two groups took advantage of the withdrawal of police personnel that were deployed to the area on Thursday to renew their hostilities late in the night which extended till early Friday.

The Lagos State deputy commissioner of police in his own reaction said “nobody was killed in the clash. The situation has been brought under control. Our men will be here until total peace is restored.”