A tragic incident unfolded in the Alaba Rago area of Iba, Lagos State, on Sunday, as a passenger was crushed to death during a violent clash between road transport workers, known locally as agberos, and supporters of a traditional ruler.
The unrest reportedly broke out early Sunday morning following the unveiling of a newly constructed motor park near Alaba Market.
The facility, said to have been established by a local monarch for vehicles traveling to Nigeria’s northern and eastern regions, sparked tensions among existing transport operators.
Eyewitnesses revealed that the transport workers viewed the new park as a direct threat to their authority and income from collecting levies in the area.
“The monarch launched the park on Saturday,” said a resident identified only as Shola. “But the agberos were not happy. The Commissioner of Police was present at the event, and there’s been tension since then.”
The situation escalated into violence on Sunday morning, with both sides engaging in confrontations.
Amid the chaos, a passenger attempting to cross the road near the park was struck and killed by a speeding vehicle.
“A fight broke out, and as people were running, the person tried to cross the road and was hit,” another witness, Abbey, told PUNCH Metro.
Videos from the scene show the victim’s lifeless body lying in a pool of blood, later covered by sympathisers using a wrapper to shield it from view.
Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed that efforts were ongoing to calm the situation and resolve the conflict.
“The Commissioner of Police was on the ground on Sunday to assess the situation firsthand,” he said. “He also held a meeting with all parties involved on Monday at the command headquarters in Ikeja to work toward a peaceful resolution.”
This incident is the latest in a series of violent confrontations involving road transport unions across Lagos and its neighbouring states.
In late 2023, a similar clash between agberos and commercial motorcyclists in the Akute and Alagbole areas of Ogun State reportedly led to several deaths.