On Wednesday 7th of September, 2016, there was an uproar in Lagos State Abattoir, Agege, were Fulani and Hausa traders got into a bloody clashed which reigns for several hours before intervention. Meanwhile reports has it that more than three persons were killed, leaving more than 20 severely injured.
According to our report, more than six vehicles were vandalised and some cattle were killed by the warring groups.
However, Security patrol vehicles were observed from the Elere, Abattoir, Alakuko police divisions, while some military officers and men of the Rapid Response Squad were deployed in the area to maintain peace and order.
Punch Metro had earlier reported that the two groups started having issues after the Nigeria Railway Corporation demolished some shanties and shops erected around the railway line.
The structures were reportedly owned by the Hausa, who were majorly scrap collectors.
They were said to have accused the Fulani, who were cattle dealers of being responsible for their ordeal, adding that the Fulani encouraged the government to demolish the structures to facilitate easy rail transport of their cows from the north to the abattoir.
A trader, Jimoh Umoru, said crisis erupted after a Hausa woman was assaulted by a Fulani man, who had bought food from her and refused to pay.
He said, “The Hausa are majorly scrap collectors, and they ply their trade around the railway line where they also built their shanties.
“On Saturday, the government demolished their shanties and shops and many of them were displaced and lost their means of livelihood. They felt that their Fulani brothers, who deal in cattle, were behind what happened to them.
“The matter came to a head on Tuesday after a Fulani man bought food from a Hausa woman, and refused to pay. There was argument between them and the man assaulted the girl. That was how the two tribes started fighting each other.
“Around 1am on Wednesday, some of the Fulani youths invaded the apartments of the Hausa and killed some of them.
“By 5am, the Hausa launched a reprisal and injured many of the Fulani and destroyed their property. The Hausa suffered higher casualties.”
However, some of the victims were taken to the New Merit Hospitals in the Oko-Oba area of Agege. While the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, had ordered a peace parley between the two groups, adding that the police arrested four suspects.
