On March 30, some youths, tagged as Nasamu and Alayabiagba streets boys, clashed with butchers at the Boundary Market, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Council Development Area of Lagos State. The clash left many in sorrow, tears and blood. Some of the butchers claimed that as many as 15 people were killed and many others injured.

It was gathered that youths from Nasamu and Alayabiagba streets, stormed the market and started shooting sporadically on that fateful day.

It was reported that both factions fought over the sharing formula of N15, 000. The money was given to them by a company which went to advertise and sell its products at the market’s bus stop. A butcher, Mr Muftau Jimoh, said it was like a scene out of a movie when youths from Nasamu and Alayabiagba streets, armed, stormed the market and started killing their colleagues.

Jimoh said: “Those of us who sell goat meat get to the market early before our colleagues that sell cow meat. We usually get there early because most of our customers are pepper soup sellers. We were attending to our customers around 7am, when we suddenly heard sounds of gunshots from every part of the market. Before we knew what was happening, every one of us started running for our dear lives.”

Jimoh disclosed that it was in the processing of running, that many of their members were killed. He further said that even those that hid in their shops, were also killed by the marauding youths. Another butcher, Adebayo said: “It was like a war on that day. Let me explain how it all started. The marketers, who came to advertise their products, were about to leave and decided to give youths from Nasamu and Alayabiagba streets and butchers N15, 000 to share. The fight started because youths from Nasamu and Alayabiagba streets wanted to collect the lion share of the money. The idea didn’t go down well with the butchers.”

Adebayo further said: “Due to the sharing formula, argument ensued between the factions. The Baale of Alayabiagba, Chief Adeshina Akande, who was passing by, saw them and asked both factions to follow him to his palace. The Baale settled the matter. To our surprise, on March 30, boys from Alayabiagba and Nasamu stormed Boundary Market, shooting sporadically. At least 15 people were killed. Some were our members. Two women among the dead were vegetable sellers and several people were injured.”

A leader of the butchers, who gave his name as Fijabi, explained that in order to avert the crisis from escalating, a day before the youths stormed the market; each faction was given N12, 000. He said: “My thought was that after giving them the money at the Baale’s palace, the quarrel was over, but to our surprise, the boys came into our market, killing traders and people who didn’t know anything about the issue.

After the attack, we immediately reported the matter at Ajeromi Police Station.”Fijabi said that the remains of the dead were moved to mortuaries, while those that sustained injuries were taken to Ajeromi General Hospital. Fijabi, who gave the names of some those killed as Fatai Samba, Tajudeen Olabamiji, Ademola Faleti, Latest and Idris, among others, said that it was fortunate many traders didn’t come to the market that early or the number of dead would have been higher. The late Olabimiji’s apprentice, Adewale Soliu, said that but for God, he would have been among butchers buried.He recounted: “On that fateful day, we came to the market around 7am.

We saw people running up and down. There was panic and confusion. My boss and I tried to escape. My boss ran back to hide under our table. He was hiding right under that table when one of the boys from Alayabigba shot and killed him. I was able to escape, but a woman selling stock fish was shot dead in her shop.” Mrs. Yetunde Ademola, whose two sons were alleged to be linked in the killings, denied their involvement.

Ademola explained that before incident, some youths from Alayabiagba Street came to boundary bus stop to cause trouble, but were stopped.

She said that her son, Sikiru, who was the only person around on that March 29, pacified the Alayabiagba youths and implored them to leave. Sikiru told them that he didn’t want trouble.

Ademola said: “My son didn’t want youths from Nasamu Street to be implicated. It was N15, 000 that caused the whole problem. Some youths from Nasamu and Alayabiagba streets teamed up to fight the butchers. To our surprise, the butchers came to our house threatening to burn down our building. They alleged that it was my children who gave the Alayabiagba boys backings to come into the market to kill their colleagues. My second son, Akeem, who was at home when the butchers came, threatening to burn down our house, immediately called their uncle residing at Amukoko area of the metropolis to come and save our house from being burnt.”

She added: “A few hours later, their uncle, Alhaji Ganiu Ademola, arrived. He was outside the house with my children, waiting for those who threatened to burn down the building to come, when police task force came to pick them. Since then, they have been in police custody. It was when I visited the task force office at Oshodi, that I got to know they have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.”

Source; NewTelegraph

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