- Police weak on response, recant early denial
Igbo traders have come under violent attacks by political party thugs said to belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) across markets in Lagos following earlier Monday’s declaration of the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi as winner of total ballot cast in the state.
The coordinated attacks sparked off unexpectedly across markets dominated by Igbo merchants whose wares were reportedly looted by the political thugs wielding all forms of dangerous weapons.
Early alerts on the attacks were dismissed by the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Command of the Nigerian Police Force, Mr Benjamin Hundeyin, a Superintendent of Police (SP) as quarrel over agreements to close the markets for elections.
With inaction and absence of timely intervention by the security forces, the attacks which started at the Mandilas Market in Lagos Island escalated to other parts of Lagos where markets are dominated by Igbo traders.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has called on the people of Lagos State to be calm over the outcome of Saturday’s election and eschew any act that can lead to breakdown of law and order.
His call which came as the attacks picked momentum paved way for SP Hundeyin to admit the Igno traders were under attack, saying the police was responding to the situation.
Our checks on the situation showed that hoodlums who reportedly targeted shops and trading outlets operated by Igbo traders stormed various markets on the Island, including Abibu Oki, Mandilas, Ebute Ero, Balogun, Alaba International as well as others on the Lagos mainland like the Oyingbo, and Oshodi; unleashing mayhem on market men and women and on their property.
No death was recorded as at afternoon when the markets forcefully closed even though traders reported injuries and huge losses in wares and cash.
Initially denying the report when a Twitter user brought it to his attention, SP Hundeyin eventually acknowledged the incident, as he assured that the situation has been brought under control.
However, despite police presence at the various scenes of the attacks, the hoodlums were still be seen threatening the traders.
The markets remained deserted as some of the shops which have already been vandalized were left empty, following the violent attacks.
Mr Hundeyin had initially dismissed the desertion by traders of the markets as an agreement reached among them to stay away from their businesses until the situation calmed. He however admitted the error when the hoodlums had intensified their reign of terror on the unarmed traders who were the targets.
In separate tweets posted by Hundeyin, he admitted the incident but added that security operatives from the state command had not only deployed to the various scenes of the violent clashes, but also remained o secure the trouble spots.
The LP presidential candidate secured an unprecedented victory over the ruling the APC’s stronghold. The APC has never failed to win in Lagos in any election since the new democratic dispensation in 1999.
The loss of Lagos to LP is believed to shaken the APC, whose presidential candidate is also a former two-term governor of the state.
In a statement released Monday by the Presidential Campaign Council signed by Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu expressed serious concern over reports of violence in parts of the state, especially reported attacks on some traders of Igbo origin.
In responding to the attacks on Igbo traders, Tinubu called on Lagos residents to be calm and maintain the peace, saying the outcome of the election in Lagos should not be a source of provocation.
He said the beauty of democracy is that people have a right to vote for the candidate of their choice, adding that as a democrat he is bound to accept the outcome of any election whether favourable or not.
The former Lagos State Governor condemned any form of violence against people of any ethnic group in Lagos.
“The fact that the APC narrowly lost Lagos State to another party should not be the reason for violence. As a democrat, you win some, you lose some. We must allow the process to continue unhindered across the country while we maintain peace and decorum,” the statement said.
