A supremacy tussle between the Yoruba and Igbo members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at Mazamaza area of Lagos State on Tuesday almost escalated into a ethic clash that saw the dueling groups engage in violent acts.
The factions were said to have set bonfire on that axis and reportedly engaged each other with guns and other dangerous weapons.
As expected, the clash sent people scampering to safety, leaving the ever busy road deserted.
According to a Twitter user, one Theresa Doghor who tweeted via @tessadoghor, the axis was deserted after the clash.
Posting a picture of the deserted road she said, "This morning, #Mazamaza looks like a place where a war was fought. I asked someone in the crowd and she said, 'Yoruba and Igbo'
"They must have fought for hours. There's burning tires on the ground and no one is selling."
Another eyewitness, one Mbakwem Uzor said: "Mazamaza first gate has been on lock down since last night. A serious fight going on with lots of gun shots. Kindly be careful."
Gbolahan Omonaa said: "There has been an ongoing fight between Yoruba and Igbo people at Mazamaza near the Young Shall Grow bus park.
"Heavy gun shot has been heard and many injured since last night. Please avoid that area for now and people should stay indoors."
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Spokesperson, CSP Chike Oti said the situation was immediately brought under control by police operatives deployed by the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi.
Debunking claims that the clash was ethnic based, Oti said it was a supremacy tussle between rival groups over who should collect money from commercial motorists.
He said: "There is no ethnic coloration to the clash. It was a minor clash between two rival groups which was immediately contained by the police.
"It has nothing to do with ethnicity. Given the way we immediately responded to the crisis, there was no casualty at all.
"From our findings, they were fighting over money collected from motorists. When we waded in, arrests were made by the police operatives."
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