Many innocent residents in the Alamutu and Alaka areas of Mushin, Lagos State, were left seriously injured when rival gangs clashed on Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26, 201 The bloody clash between the rival gangs started when scores of hoodlums from different ends stormed the axis wielding dangerous weapons like cutlasses, machetes, axes and guns and engaged themselves in a fight and in the process, looted shops, vandalized parked vehicles and attacked anyone in sight, Inside Mainland reports.
Based on what was gathered, gunshots were heard for several hours before operatives of the Nigerian Police stormed the area to restore normalcy.
The clash allegedly broke out after the Alamutu group embarked on a candlelight procession for a bus conductor who belonged to their gang, died after he fell off a moving vehicle and was buried accordingly.
During the candlelight procession, however, led to an argument between the Alamatu Boys and the Alaka Boys, another notorious gang, on territorial supremacy.
The fight was stated to have escalated into a big clash on Saturday night and continued till the early hours of Monday morning before the police mobilized officers to the scene.
Based on what was gathered, during the heavy shooting, some residents were hit by stray bullets fired by the gang members as this led to confusion as residents scampered for safety to avoid being caught in the fracas.
A resident who spoke on the situation in the area stated rival gangs clashing in Mushin was not a new thing as they always clashed over minor issues.
"The war between the gangs are normal things in this area. They would fight now and in the next minute, everything returns to normal. Only those who are not familiar with the area get entangled in the fracas most times.
This particular fight started due to an argument between the Alaka and Alamutu boys. They laid siege around Idi-Oro market in Mushin, burning tyres and shelling broken bottles. This led to a massive struggle among residents to avoid being hurt,” the resident stated.
Commenting on the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole disclosed that the police responded to a distress call of a clash between two gangs of area boys and that normalcy has returned to the area.