At least three people were reportedly killed when violent clashes erupted during a masquerade festival in the Lagos Island area of Lagos State.
Though the immediate cause of the killings is unclear, Daily Post quoted eyewitnesses as saying the cultural celebration was hijacked by suspected cult members, sparking a bloody supremacy battle.
Videos circulating online showed suspected cultists firing gunshots along Lagos Street.
One clip captured at least five gunshots, while another showed a group of assailants beating a victim.
“We had just finished the festival when a fight broke out among some boys suspected to be cultists. They started hurling bottles and brandishing weapons. Nobody could intervene, everyone simply ran for safety,” a resident told journalists on condition of anonymity.
Another resident, identified as Kazeem, said the unrest continued late into the night.
“The fight started in the evening and continued until midnight. Many of us couldn’t sleep because of the noise and the destruction,” he recounted.
Social media platform Naija Confra, which tracks cult-related violence, also reported that gangs had hijacked the Lagos masquerade festival and turned it into an armed confrontation.
Police Move to Restore Order
Reacting to the killings, the Lagos State Police Command said it had intensified security across Lekki, Ajah, Ogombo, Elemoro and other surrounding areas.
Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement, confirmed that the command had launched a discreet investigation.
“The Lagos State Police Command has commenced a discreet investigation into the unfortunate incident that occurred on Sunday in Lekki Phase 1, where a clash between rival cult groups resulted in three deaths. The Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, personally mobilised to the scene with joint police teams to ensure swift response,” Hundeyin stated.
Hundeyin further disclosed that newly established anti-cultism and tactical squads under the Elemoro Area Command had been deployed.
The police said raids carried out in parts of Lekki led to the arrest of 23 suspects linked to the violence.
LeadNaija understands that the Eko Strike Force, a tactical intervention unit, has also been drafted to clamp down on cult-related activity and restore peace in the affected communities.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
