Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Lagos, Nigeria — A violent confrontation between rival confraternities erupted in the Oke-Ira area of Ogba, Ikeja, in Lagos State, resulting in the death of a young civilian and heightened tension across the community. The incident began during a festive event and quickly escalated into a broad clash between suspected members of the Aye (also known as NBM) and Eiye (ACN) confraternities — two of Nigeria’s most notorious secret cult networks.
Eyewitnesses and social media posts from local sources reported that an argument over a seemingly trivial item — described by residents as a disagreement over a lighter — at a Christmas carnival triggered the clash. Within hours, the situation spiralled out of control, with armed young men from both groups exchanging blows and chasing one another through nearby streets.
Amid the chaos, a non-cult affiliated young man identified locally as Sultan was confronted by suspected Eiye members as they searched for their Aye rivals. According to community accounts circulating online, Sultan — described as a local internet entrepreneur and resident — was mistaken for an affiliate of one of the groups and killed during an attempted robbery encounter.
Police and security sources have neither confirmed the precise sequence of events nor released official identities, but multiple community-level social posts corroborate that an innocent bystander lost his life in the melee. Lagos police units were seen in the area hours after the incident, working to restore calm and disperse lingering youths suspected of cult affiliation.
An official statement from the Lagos State Police Command has yet to be issued, but residents told journalists that officers patrolling the neighborhood had stepped up presence after the clash began late in the afternoon, deploying additional tactical squads to prevent further escalation.
This clash forms part of a spate of secret society violence in Lagos and neighbouring states, where battles for territorial dominance between confraternities often erupt into broader civilian harm. In recent months, Lagos police have reported multiple cult-related incidents resulting in fatalities and arrests, underscoring an ongoing public safety concern for communities across the city.
Criminologists and security analysts have long warned that confrontations between the Aye and Eiye confraternities — sometimes referred to as NBM and ACN in local parlance — are not isolated campus issues but have evolved into urban street battles that draw in younger recruits and result in often brutal violence.
In other parts of Nigeria, law enforcement agencies have pursued suspected cultists tied to violent outbreaks. For example, police in Lagos State recently arrested multiple suspects in connection with cult-related killings in other suburbs, and security officials have publicly stated their resolve to prosecute culprits to the full extent of the law.
Community leaders in Ogba have appealed for calm and urged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands as investigations continue. They emphasised that unrelated civilians should not be drawn into violent disputes between criminal groups and called on the police to provide timely updates and transparent findings.
Residents who witnessed the clash described hearing gunshots and seeing machetes and other crude weapons brandished in the streets, forcing families to flee their homes and businesses to close early. Many told reporters they were fearful of nightly reprisals, as members of each group were reportedly still searching for rivals in the aftermath.
At this stage, there is no verified mainstream report confirming the sensational narrative of kidnappers engaging in a romantic rendezvous with victims as police bait — such accounts remain circulating on social media and messaging platforms but have not been substantiated by independent journalistic investigation.
Authorities in Lagos have been urged by civil society groups to increase community policing efforts, enhance intelligence-sharing with residents, and prioritise the protection of non-combatant citizens caught in the crossfire of cult rivalries. Analysts stress that tackling the underlying causes of youth involvement in secret societies — including unemployment, social exclusion and lack of opportunities — is critical to reducing such violent outbreaks over time.
Police have cordoned off the Oke-Ira area pending further forensic work and eyewitness statements, and local medical facilities have reported treating victims of shrapnel wounds and machete cuts stemming from the clash.
As investigations unfold, Lagos State authorities are expected to provide further clarification on the identity of the slain civilian and take legal action against any suspects apprehended in connection with the violence.
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