No fewer than three people have been confirmed dead, while a police inspector is battling for his life following a violent clash at Owode Onirin Market in Lagos.
The incident, which erupted unexpectedly, has left dozens injured and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
According to eyewitnesses, panic swept through the popular auto spare parts hub as traders fled their shops and residents in surrounding buildings scrambled for safety.
The clash, described by many as unforeseen, escalated around 7:15 PM on Tuesday, leading to chaos on major routes including Ikorodu Road.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the violence was linked to a long-standing land dispute involving suspected land speculators and motor spare parts traders.
The land, originally allocated during Governor Lateef Jakande’s administration, has remained a source of tension over ownership rights.
On this occasion, the unrest was reportedly fueled by men loyal to a land speculator, Abiodun Ariori, CEO of Prosperous Ariori Golden Venture Limited.
Witnesses alleged that his men attempted to enforce claims on the disputed land despite a subsisting court order instructing all parties to maintain the status quo.
“The clash caused sporadic gunshots and heavy use of teargas in areas like Weighbridge, Ajegunle, and Agbajoowo,” a witness told The Guild. “People had to run for their lives. It was terrifying.”
The Lagos Police Command later confirmed the incident.
Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that normalcy has since been restored but confirmed the tragic deaths.
“Normalcy has been restored in the Owode Onirin area of Lagos State. The Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, just left the area after an on-the-spot assessment,” Hundeyin said.
He further explained: “During the clash between the traders and the land grabbers, three persons sustained fatal injuries, and a Police Inspector was seriously injured.
The three fatally injured persons were confirmed dead when rushed to the hospital by the Police, while the Police Inspector remains in a critical and life-threatening condition.”
Hundeyin also noted that “efforts are in top gear to apprehend the perpetrators of the unrest,” stressing that additional police personnel have been deployed to sustain calm in the troubled market.
Traffic gridlock was reported across Ketu, Mile 12, and Ikorodu as commuters were advised to avoid the affected area during the peak of the chaos.
This development comes just months after the Lagos High Court issued an injunction on June 2, 2025, directing all parties in the Owode Onirin land dispute to maintain the status quo.
The matter was adjourned to October 13, 2025.
Despite the court ruling, violence has persisted, prompting calls for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s intervention.
Meanwhile, human rights groups such as the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR) have repeatedly warned buyers against acquiring land in the contested areas, citing ongoing harassment.
