Police restore normalcy, declares businessman wanted after deadly Lagos clash
Police restore normalcy, declares businessman wanted after deadly Lagos clash
The Lagos State Police Command has restored calm to the Owode Onirin area of Lagos following a violent clash between traders and suspected land grabbers that resulted in the death of three individuals and left a police inspector in critical condition. In connection with the violence, the police have declared a businessman, Abiodun Ariori, the CEO of Prosperous Ariori Golden Venture Limited, wanted for his alleged role in the deadly confrontation.
The unrest, which broke out in the bustling market district of Owode Onirin, saw highways and access roads blocked as chaos erupted between local traders and individuals suspected to be land grabbers. Responding swiftly, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Olohundare Jimoh, personally led a coordinated operation involving personnel from the Command’s Operations Department, the Police Mobile Force, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Tactical Units, and detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Normalcy was restored within hours, traffic resumed, and residents returned to their daily routines.
The Commissioner ordered the sustained deployment of officers to the area to prevent any resurgence of violence. However, the toll was severe: three people died from injuries sustained during the clash, despite being rushed to the hospital by police officers. A police inspector who was also seriously injured remains in a life-threatening condition and is receiving intensive medical care.
Preliminary investigations have linked the violence to Abiodun Ariori, who police say is now evading arrest. Describing him as a person of interest with prima facie evidence connecting him to the incident, the police have launched a manhunt. Ariori, who is dark in complexion and was last known to reside in the Egbeda area of Lagos, is being urged to turn himself in. Members of the public are advised to report any information on his whereabouts to the Lagos State Police Command via the following hotlines: 08063299264, 09053872208, 08127155150, or by email at [lagosstatepolicecommandikeja@gmail.com](mailto:lagosstatepolicecommandikeja@gmail.com).
In a related development, the police have also detained four officers brought in from outside Lagos State by the wanted suspect. These officers, allegedly on illegal duty with Ariori, are currently undergoing orderly room trial at the Lagos State Command headquarters. The Command has assured the public that the outcome of the internal investigation and disciplinary action will be made public.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident at Balogun Market on Lagos Island earlier today, police were called to respond to what was initially rumored to be a tribal clash. Clarifying the situation, the Lagos Police Command confirmed that the incident was, in fact, a personal altercation involving two individuals. A man identified as Ebuka Adindu from Abia State reportedly stabbed Sodiq Ibrahim from Kogi State to death during a dispute. Adindu then inflicted a stab wound on himself and lost consciousness. He is currently under arrest and receiving treatment at a hospital. The police confirmed that no other persons were harmed, and there was no destruction of property during the incident.
The police have emphasized that this was not an ethnic or tribal confrontation but rather a fight among miscreants. Order has since been restored to the area, and businesses in Balogun Market and across Lagos Island are operating as normal.
Commissioner of Police Olohundare Jimoh has called on all residents of Lagos to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperative with law enforcement officers. He further urged the public not to spread misinformation that could cause panic, reaffirming that Lagos remains peaceful and secure.
