Confusion and pandemonium broke out at Agaka and Adabata communities of Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday as two groups engaged in a free-for-all.
The fracas paralysed the economic activities in the area for many hours and forced many traders to close their shops and flee.
According to an eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, the two groups fought over alleged snatching of a girlfriend from a member of one of the the group.
He stated that members of the two groups were at a ceremony when a member of one of the groups accused another man from a rival group of snatching his girlfriend.
Following the allegation, an argument ensued which degenerated into the fracas.
Both parties were said to have freely used axes, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons on rival members.
The source added that the hoodlums also pelted a police vehicle with stones.
He said, “The vehicle was conveying police officers from the Kwara State Police Command, which had gone there to restore normalcy.”
Meanwhile, our correspondent learnt that four persons had been arrested over their alleged role in the lynching of a suspected female kidnapper at Adeta Roundabout.
The suspected female kidnapper was said to have been caught with three children on Tuesday evening. One of the children was said to have died before the mob lynched her.
Another incident also occurred at at Ganmo area of Ilorin on
Tuesday evening. A middle aged woman narrowly missed being lynched by a mob.