Violence: Lagos Gov. Ambode closes Market, restricts movement on Street

LAGOS State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has ordered the immediate closure of the Mile 12 Market and announced the restriction of movement on four streets in the area. The streets are Oniyanri, Maidan, Agiliti One and Agiliti Two.

Addressing the media at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ambode said the decision to shut the market and restrict movement on the streets was to aid security agencies in restoring calm to the area.

He said: “In order to further restore calm, I have ordered that Mile 12 Market be temporarily closed and I urge traders, community leaders and other stakeholders to eschew violence; be calm and law abiding.

“Furthermore, I have also ordered a temporary restriction of movement in the following streets – Oniyanri Street, Maidan Street, Agiliti one and Agiliti two.”

The governor said the police and security operatives had been deployed in the community to quell the violence, assuring residents that peace will be restored in the area.

“Today, I have just been informed that some miscreants and criminal elements have exploited that dispute to cause a breakdown of law and order within the area. These types of clashes do occur from time to time in a multi-ethnic city like Lagos and the government has responded appropriately.

“The public is hereby assured that we will not shy away from our responsibilities to protect lives and property and we will deal decisively with those criminal elements who fan the embers of ethnic strive.”

The governor said he had received reports from the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies saying the situation had been substantially put under control.

“Let me assure Lagosians that the state is home to every tribe and ethnic group and nobody should give this disturbance any ethnic coloration whatsoever. Every law abiding citizens should go about their normal businesses,” Ambode said

Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni said the police had brought the situation under control, adding that the police will move in to enforce the order by the government.

Owoseni denied that any person was killed in the clash.

“The restriction is starting right away and it will be so until the situation normalises completely. I was there personally, I did not witness anybody killed. I was there all through before I came here. The situation is calm; people that were agitating have been cleared off the road. The roads are clear and as I am talking to you, substantial arrest has been made and I can assure the public that those involved in that violence will be brought to justice.”

Owoseni also dismissed reports that there was fire at the Mile 12 Market, adding that over 50 suspects had been arrested.

“I’m telling you what I saw and what I witnessed. As at the time I left the scene to come to this place, there was no fire at Mile 12 Market. It was within Agiliti where some vehicles were being burnt by miscreants and, as I told you, those miscreants have been cleared off the road,” Owoseni said.

Advertisements