The reason of a crisis at an abattoir in Lagos State’s Agege area on Wednesday has been trailed by confusion.
Traders were being chased away by hoodlums wielding machetes and other weapons.
“They (hoodlums) came with weapons, so we had to run for our lives,” a meat seller at the abattoir told our correspondent.
According to reports, the issue was sparked by a tax imposed by hoodlums in the region on clients who patronized the abattoir.
However, according to a police source, the situation was created by a new policy implemented by the abattoir’s management to ensure sanitation.
“When some of the traders were leaving the abattoir this morning, the hoodlums asked for money. They almost stabbed those that resisted. That was what led to the crisis,” an animal feed seller opposite the abattoir said.
During the crisis, it was learnt that passengers in tricycles passing through the route were robbed.
“I saw some guys in hundreds with machets knives and other dangerous weapon at U-turn, Abule Egba. The whole community is in panic. I witness those boys robbing people inside Keke Napep in front of Abimbola Estate inwards abule Egba. I has to run for my life and keep my phone,” an eyewitness, Ayankojo, said.
Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, when contracted, said police operatives had been dispatched to the scene.
“Abattoir area of Lagos State is calm. News of violence is false. Just a minor rancour within the management of the abattoir. Stakeholders already working towards a lasting solution,” he said.
Later, the Lagos police’s Rapid Response Squad posted a picture of its operatives as the scene of the crisis,
The pictures were accompained with a caption stating, “RRS supported by surrounding police divisional units are on top of the crisis in Abbatoir, Agege.
Normalcy has returned to the area while efforts are in progress to completely dislodge the miscreants around the area.”
