Lagos in Southwest Nigeria witnessed a market inferno on Thursday, with flames engulfing shops and destroying goods after a dispute between a wholesaler and a vendor spiraled out of control. The incident, which began on Wednesday night in the Ile-Epo area, reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over lottery winnings.
Witnesses claim what started as a minor argument quickly escalated into a clash. The situation took a turn for the worse when hoodlums reportedly used the chaos as an opportunity to wreak havoc, setting fire to sections of the market.
Thursday morning saw a tense atmosphere prevail, with reports of looting and further clashes before police intervention. Efforts by firefighters to intervene were initially hampered as they were pelted with stones by the crowd.
The extent of the damage and the number of casualties has not been made public. But the police said they have arrested 50 persons suspected to be involved in the fracas.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
