In the Lagos State neighborhood of Magodo Isheri, rival gangs have been fighting while allegedly enforcing a court order.
According to reports, during the altercation, the hoodlums, who were armed, participated in a free-for-all, escalating the tension and sending shivers down the spines of landlords, neighbors, and business owners operating in the neighborhood.
The breakdown of law and order by individuals claiming to have a court ruling granting them ownership of land in the community, according to a resident who does not want his name used for security reasons, has left residents locked in their homes.
“As I speak with you, a lot of people are trapped in their houses; they cannot go out because the estate gate is locked. The people claiming that they have a court judgment are fighting. It is a serious clash and the police and men of the Rapid Response Squad have been mobilised to control the situation.
“I can’t leave the estate because the security guards have locked the gate. The clash is still ongoing as I speak with you. I will only go out when normalcy has been restored,” the resident said.
According to an eyewitness, “There’s something happening at Isheri. There are cultists with cutlasses. They blocked the path from the other gate. They’re saying something about claiming their Magodo land back or something.”