How N8,000 dispute led to Lagos market killing — Traders

More details have emerged about the violent clash that claimed the life of a trader, Sodiq Ibrahim, in the Mandillas area of Lagos Island on Wednesday.

Our correspondent gathered on Thursday that Ibrahim was allegedly stabbed to death by his colleague, Ebuka Adindu, during a dispute over the sharing of N8,000.

The incident briefly disrupted commercial activities in the busy Balogun market, with shops shutting their doors before business resumed on Thursday.

While rumours of ethnic tension trailed the clash on social media, the Lagos State Police Command dismissed such claims.

The police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, said, “During the fight, one Ebuka Adindu from Abia State stabbed one Sodiq Ibrahim from Kogi State to death.

“The said Adindu in turn stabbed himself on the shoulder and became unconscious. He is currently under arrest in the hospital, where he is being treated. Investigation into the matter will be concluded, and he will be prosecuted after he has been discharged.”

Findings by SOCIETY WATCH Metro on Thursday revealed that both men were members of a group known as Oso Ahia, loosely translated from Igbo as “market hustlers.”

Their role, our correspondent gathered, is to bring customers from outside into shops in exchange for a commission.

Trouble, however, began on Wednesday after a shop owner handed over N8,000 to be shared between the two.

A trader in the market, Funmi Arewa, confirmed this version of events to our correspondents on Thursday.

“It was just two hustlers who usually bring customers to shop owners for commission,” she said.

“Both of them happened to bring the same customer, and the shop owner gave them N8,000 to share. That’s where the problem started.