The Lagos State Police Command has arrested seven suspects following a violent confrontation between youths in the Ijanikin and Otto communities of Lagos State, which claimed the life of a young man.
It was learnt that the victim, identified as Akinyemi Omo Akin, sustained gunshot injuries during the clash and was later confirmed dead at a hospital where he was rushed for treatment.
The unrest reportedly paralysed movement along the busy Lagos-Badagry Expressway at the Otto-Ijanikin axis for several hours as rival groups allegedly exchanged gunfire, forcing motorists and commuters to seek alternative routes.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed that normalcy had since been restored and the expressway reopened to traffic.
She said the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, led a combined team of conventional police officers and tactical operatives to the scene to disperse the warring youths, clear obstructions and ensure the free flow of vehicles.
Adebisi clarified that preliminary investigations did not support claims that the deceased was hit by a stray bullet fired by police personnel.
“Information available to the police before our arrival indicated that both groups had mobilised suspected cult members who engaged in a gun duel. The victim was believed to have been shot during the exchange,” she stated.
The spokesperson added that seven individuals had been apprehended in connection with the incident, while security operatives, including anti-riot units, were conducting raids in affected neighbourhoods and nearby bushes to track down other fleeing suspects.
She assured residents that the command remained committed to maintaining law and order, urging members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with ongoing investigations.