An unnamed passenger was killed in the altercation, which allegedly started early on Sunday morning, after being struck by a speeding car.
According to several eyewitnesses, the conflict started when a motor park that was purportedly built by the monarch for cars heading to northern and eastern Nigeria opened.
“A park was constructed by the monarch on the Alaba Market side of the street. For cars traveling to the North and East, it was introduced on Saturday, according to a local who asked to be called Shola.
However, the development did not sit well with the road transport personnel. Even the Commissioner of Police (CP) was present. The monarch and some of the agberos got into a fight over the park. That’s what caused the disaster,” the resident continued.
Residents claim that the Agberos perceived the new park as a challenge to their current method of obtaining levies from nearby traffic.
When the monarch’s supporters and the transport workers battled on Sunday morning, tensions increased.
Another resident, Abbey, stated, “A passenger was attempting to cross the road near the new park while they were chasing each other and fighting when a speeding vehicle struck and killed the person on the spot.”
A group of supporters gathered at the location of the incident, according to footage that was shared with our correspondent.
One video showed the victim’s lifeless body lying in a pool of blood, while another showed locals covering the body with a wrapper to hide the gory scene from bystanders. Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, responded to the altercation by confirming that attempts were being made to defuse the situation and mediate a settlement between the opposing groups.
According to the spokeswoman, “The CP was personally on the ground yesterday for an on-the-spot assessment.”
“To find a long-term solution to the issue, he also met with all parties today (Monday) at the command headquarters in Ikeja,” Hundeyin continued.
The incident on Sunday is the latest in a string of violent altercations between union operatives and road transport workers in Lagos and the surrounding states.
