The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday said it stumbled on a drug den during its operation in the Ile-Epo market in the Oke-Odo area of Lagos State following clashes between youths and hoodlums.
A witness who was at the market on Thursday learnt that many people were injured after hoodlums and some traders clashed in the market over bet money. Over 50 suspects linked to the clashes were apprehended, and the shanties they occupied were demolished, effectively dislodging them from their illicit activities.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said that in an attempt to dislodge the hoodlums, the law enforcement officers stumbled upon a hidden drug den that had been operating in plain sight.
It was gathered that a fight started in the market situated in the area on Wednesday night and continued till Thursday morning.
The hoodlums residing in the shanties beside the market were said to have wielded a series of dangerous weapons during the clash, inflicting injuries on each other.
Some shops were also set on fire while goods belonging to traders were destroyed in the process.
Our correspondent who visited the scene of the incident gathered that an early intervention by the police was restricted by the hoodlums.
A fire service truck that also drove into the market was also forced to reverse after being pelted with stones.
An eyewitness, Kudirat Balogun, said the hoodlums and some boys were engaged in betting activities when an argument broke out among them over the bet money.
Balogun said, “They are used to betting and the one they played yesterday caused an argument. One of them said he was not paid the full amount of the game he won. So, he went ahead to mobilise his colleagues and that was how the fight broke out. They also started to destroy the people’s shops in the process.”
Another trader who gave his name as Taofiq said the fight lasted through the night.
He said, “The hoodlums, in retaliation, waited till evening and started to set some parts of the fire on the market. That was how the two factions started to destroy each other’s goods.”
The traders whose shops were affected were seen counting their losses.
One of the affected traders said her goods were not spared in the clash, “I sell tomatoes and onions and other condiments. When I heard what happened this morning, I quickly rushed down only to discover that my goods had been affected.”
Another trader was also seen lamenting over the newly bought bags of corn destroyed during the clash.
Another eyewitness who preferred anonymity for personal reasons said the traders called the attention of the authorities to the activities of the hoodlums but nothing was done on time.
“We saw this coming and we called the attention of the authorities to it but nothing was done. The hoodlums especially the ones occupying the shanties have always been causing trouble and have also been a threat to the traders. I think the police will do the needful now that this has happened.”
The state police command headquarters however assured that normalcy had been restored in the area.
The PPRO in a statement obtained by our correspondent said over 50 suspects had so far been arrested while the shanties they occupied had been destroyed, effectively dislodging them.
