Panic swept through Meiran, a Lagos suburb, as rival groups of youths armed with axes clashed in a street fight that left commuters and residents scampering to safety.
The unrest broke out around 1pm near Kabowei Bus Stop, paralysing movement and forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles in the middle of the road.
Witnesses said dozens of young men stormed the stretch, some wielding axes, and chased one another through the busy corridor, prompting passersby to take cover.
A resident, Segun, said he narrowly escaped the fracas.
“I saw about five boys holding axes and running after some others.
“I parked instantly and rushed into a compound nearby,” he said.
“Many of us hid until the shouting stopped. When the place calmed down, we came out to pick our vehicles.”
Another resident, Moses, traced the fight to a disagreement between a group of youths and a street vendor.
“Some boys collected ice cream and refused to pay.
When the seller demanded his money, they threatened him,” he claimed.
“He called for help. That’s when the fight escalated and axes appeared.”
Although no casualties were confirmed, the commotion halted traffic for several minutes and disrupted commercial activities in the neighbourhood.
Efforts to get comments from the Lagos State Police Command proved unsuccessful as calls and messages to spokesperson Abimbola Adebisi went unanswered.