JUST IN: One dead as Lagos motor park clash turns deadly in Iba

DDM News

Tension gripped residents of the Alaba Rago area in Iba, Lagos State, on Sunday, July 21, 2025, after a violent confrontation erupted between commercial transport union workers, commonly known as agberos, and supporters of a local monarch.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the crisis stemmed from a newly inaugurated motor park intended for vehicles heading to northern and eastern Nigeria.

The park, located near the busy Alaba Market, was opened just a day earlier by the monarch, with the Lagos State Commissioner of Police reportedly present at the launch.

Trouble began when members of the transport union expressed outrage over what they saw as a threat to their daily income.

They feared that the new park would disrupt their grip on levies and dues collected from commercial drivers, a practice long embedded in the Lagos transport ecosystem.

According to eyewitness accounts, the disagreement turned violent on Sunday morning. Agberos clashed with supporters of the monarch in a chaotic scene that left one innocent passenger dead.

The victim, a pedestrian attempting to cross the road amid the disorder, was tragically struck by a speeding vehicle and died instantly.

Residents captured the grim aftermath on video, showing bystanders surrounding the deceased, whose body lay in a pool of blood.

In another clip, community members were seen covering the body with a wrapper, as panic and grief spread.

A local resident, Shola, told reporters that the monarch’s new initiative upset the status quo, leading to fierce resistance from agberos who saw it as an encroachment on their turf.

The Saturday inauguration, while peaceful, quickly sparked brewing tensions that exploded into violence the next day.

Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, confirmed the incident and stated that the Commissioner of Police had returned to the area on Monday to mediate between both parties.

Hundeyin emphasized that efforts were ongoing to prevent further escalation and ensure peace in the volatile community.

This confrontation is part of a broader trend of unrest between transport unions and local authorities in Lagos, where competition for control over motor parks frequently leads to violent showdowns.

Similar incidents have recently been reported in Mushin, Oshodi, and Ikorodu, raising concern over the unchecked influence of transport union factions.

As Lagos grapples with rising insecurity linked to transport politics, citizens are calling on the state government to regulate union activities and prevent further loss of life.

Advocacy groups are urging a formal review of motor park management systems to curtail the recurring pattern of violence.

The identity of the deceased passenger has not yet been released, and police investigations are ongoing.

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