Tension rises in Orile-Agege as street urchins fight turns deadly
It is a deeply troubling time in Orile-Agege LCDA in Lagos, as some families have been thrown into mourning, following the loss of their children in a recent clash between
- Two lives lost; homes, shops looted in broad daylight
It is a deeply troubling time in Orile-Agege LCDA in Lagos, as some families have been thrown into mourning, following the loss of their children in a recent clash between rival community cult groups. Meanwhile, many residents are still nursing injuries sustained during the violence, which saw widespread panic across the area. SEUN OGUNBIYI reports.
On Monday, March 16, 2026, several areas under Orile-Agege LCDA including Dopemu Road, Ijaye, Fashola, Kibishile, and Abibatu streets were thrown into chaos as rival groups of street urchins, reportedly seeking revenge over the killing of one of their members, invaded the community. Believing the perpetrators to be from the area, the attackers stormed the neighbourhood around 1 p.m., armed with guns, cutlasses, knives, axes, and other dangerous weapons, with many of them masked.
During the attack, buildings were vandalised, cars parked along the roads damaged, and shops and homes were broken into and looted. Residents, passersby, and business owners going about their daily activities were also caught in the violence, with many sustaining serious injuries.
Investigations revealed that the violence began late on Sunday, March 15, and continued into the early hours of Monday, March 16, 2026. The unrest coincided with activities marking the Lailatul Qadr night at a prominent Islamic institution in the area, which accounted for the unusual movement of people at that time. However, there is no indication that those responsible for the violence were part of the religious gathering.
According to sources, the crisis was allegedly triggered by the killing of a man popularly known as “Chicken,” said to be a codeine dealer in the Oke-Koto area of Agege. He was reportedly contacted late at night by an unidentified individual who lured him out under the guise of a business transaction. Although details of what transpired remain unclear, he was chased to Bashorun Street in Dopemu, where he was eventually killed.
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On Monday afternoon, friends and associates of the deceased from areas including Oke-Koto and Asade gathered to bury him at Jafojo Cemetery between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Shortly after the burial, the group seeking revenge stormed nearby areas including Dopemu Road, Fashola, Kibishile, Abibatu, and Ijaye streets in search of those they believed were responsible for his death.
Eyewitnesses estimated that the group, numbering about 150, was armed with various dangerous weapons. During the rampage, they reportedly identified a man known as Sodiq Ongbona, alleged to be from Magbon. He was chased as he attempted to escape and eventually ran into a nearby betting shop in a desperate bid for safety.
Our investigations revealed that the betting shop owner had locked the burglary proof of his shop, so the hoodlums wouldn't gain entry, but lamented that after lots of struggles, they eventually gained access, dragged Sodiq Ongbona out and repeatedly stabbed him with knives, broken bottles and machetes in broad daylight until he died, with people watching in shock.
Speaking to our reporter, a male eyewitness running businesses in the shop said, “Sodiq Ongbona ran into our shop for safety before he was killed. I was in my shop here when we all noticed a large numbers of boys coming from Jafojo cemetery; they were more than two hundred, when they came out to Dopemu road from the street opposite us. About forty out of them stationed themselves opposite our shop across the road while another large number entered to Fashola Street and another set of boys went to Dopemu.
"We don't really know what those guys that went to Fashola Street went there to do but later, one Sodiq Ongbona was passing by and suddenly some of the boys stationed opposite our shop shouted, that is Sodiq Ongbona, he is from Magbon! That was how they pursued Sodiq. When he didn’t know where to run to, he ran into our shop and I immediately locked the burglary. They were throwing stones and broken bottles, warning me to open the door. That was when I sustained injury in my arm (shows off bandaged arm).”
He however said the hoodlums did not steal anything from the shop, aside their target.
“They later left him, but by then it was too late, as he was bleeding uncontrollably. Sodiq tried to stop a tricycle to take him to the hospital, but we later heard he died before he could get there.”
When our reporter visited the affected areas to gather firsthand information, a popular trader, Alfa, who sells phones and accessories on Fashola Street, said: “I was not in my shop at the time; my wife was the one who witnessed the attack. They carted away phones worth about four million, five hundred and seventy-four thousand naira (N4.574 million), which is approximately five million naira.”
A hairdresser opposite on Ijaye Street said: “My son’s iPhone and my Samsung phone were stolen. We were inside when they came in and took our phones. They initially picked up my son’s bag, which contained a newly bought laptop, but one of them told the other to drop it.”
On Kibishile Street, another hairdresser told her story: “They approached me with a gun and took everyone’s phones. They also stole my bags containing money. I am yet to recover from the shock. The trauma affected me too and I had to be placed on a drip because of the stress.”
Another victim, Paul, a foodstuff trader on Abibatu Street, suffered injuries to his face from broken bottles.
“I was alone in my shop when they arrived. Before I knew it, they stabbed me in the eye,” he said.
An eyewitness, who pleaded for anonymity for safety reasons, explained to our reporter that when the attackers entered Fashola, Kibishile, and Abibatu streets, they initially confronted Sodiq Ongbona at Kibishile. They reportedly told him point-blank that they were not after him but his younger brother. It appears the attackers knew Sodiq well, which may explain why he was initially spared.
After leaving Kibishile discreetly, Sodiq reportedly returned toward Magbon, possibly to investigate his brother’s involvement, but encountered another group at Fashola Junction. However, it may appear that the young man had a date with death, as that group did not spare him.
Where were the security personnel?
Our reporter reached out to Mr. Aliu Olawale, CDA Chairman of the area, for comment on the violence in his jurisdiction. He said he was in a Zoom meeting and promised to call back, but as of the time of filing this report, he had yet to respond.
Furthermore, our reporter reached out via WhatsApp to Honourable Akinola Idowu, Chairman of Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at around 2:20 p.m.
However, the Chairman also did not respond. Eventually, this reporter was able to reach him on phone the following day, but he directed him to his Information officer, who also ended up playing the elusive game.
In a further effort to understand the security response, our reporter reached out to the Agege Local Government Chairman, Hon. Vinod Abdulganiy Obasa, through a close associate, Dr. Moshood Ajibola. Dr. Ajibola connected the reporter with the Area Commander of Agege LGA and Orile-Agege LCDA Crime Fighter, known by the code name ‘Paramole,’ Adebiyi, who spoke on behalf of the Chairman, who was out of the country.
The reporter inquired about the collaboration between Agege LGA and Orile-Agege LCDA, particularly regarding the role of the Paramole security network, which primarily serves these areas. Adebiyi explained that while the group is actively involved, its members are unarmed and can only report suspicious movements to the police.
“Our plan is to have our members stationed across all streets in Agege LGA and Orile-Agege LCDA, but we are limited by staff shortages. Nevertheless, we believe the Chairman has been doing well to maintain security in the area, and we are working to increase our personnel for greater effectiveness,” he said.
During the reporter’s investigation information he intended to share with the Orile-Agege LCDA Chairman, he learned of a man living in Magbon who may be linked to the ongoing conflict.
The reporter revealed that the source, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, said the man from Magbon returned home around 3 a.m. on the night of Sunday, March 15, through the early hours of Monday, March 16, 2026, covered in blood and reportedly kept mentioning the name of someone who had died.
As of Wednesday, the source told the reporter that the boy was still hidden at his parents’ house and receiving medical treatment.
It is believed that the attackers assumed the killer of their friend was from Magbon. According to information gathered, the younger brother of the late Sodiq Ongbona has since been arrested. If this guy is questioned by the police, he may reveal details about his movements in the early hours of that night around 3 a.m., which could give a clue to the riddle behind the killing of “Chicken.”
Eyewitnesses reported that the attack lasted between 15 to 20 minutes. This raises serious questions about the effectiveness of local security: where were the police during the pandemonium? And if the police were unaware, what was the role of the Agege/Orile-Agege crime-fighting unit, known as Paramole, during the attack?
For at least twenty minutes, the attackers operated with impunity. If the Orile-Agege LCDA was not immediately informed, why wasn’t the police promptly alerted? What proactive measures has the Chairman of Orile-Agege LCDA, Hon. Akinola Idowu, implemented to prevent such recurring violence? Is the local authority content with responding only after tragedies occur?
The nation also learnt that the attack, no immediate action was taken, and it was only after the violence had subsided that the police began going around the LCDA to apprehend suspects. Even then, questions remain: can all perpetrators truly be caught? And how can authorities ensure that innocent residents are not mistakenly arrested during such raids?
Some of the residents spoken to say it's high time proactive actions were taken. They are saying residents should not have to bear the brunt of street hooligans while political leaders remain passive. They say those in positions of authority must take decisive steps to protect the people who have entrusted them with power.
In the same nein, the people in authority are saying residents also have a role to play by remaining vigilant, reporting suspicious activities, gatherings, or movements that they suspect could pose threats to lives and property, to help ensure the safety of the community.
