By Abdulwahab Abdulah

LAGOS—The struggle for the soul of the popular Ladipo spare part market in Mushin Local Government of Lagos State continues as major contenders for the leadership of the market are trading accusation over who imported thugs to cause trouble.

Some traders, who suffered different degrees of injuries, said some hoodlums were hired to deal with those opposed to the President of the market association.

When the Chairman of Auto Part Dealers, Mr. Kingsley Ogunor, was contacted, he denied the allegations, arguing that it was Monday Lawrence, a market leader, who came with thugs.

Describing how he was brutalised, one of the victims, Emeka Onah, said: “They have hired cultists that they feed on a daily basis in readiness to attack anybody who goes against the president and executives.”

Emeka, who said he was stripped naked and beaten for refusing to join their group, added: “They insisted we should leave the bar we were drinking in at the market, we protested that we had to finish our beer as there was no reason why we should rush it.

“Before I knew what was happening, matchets had descended on my head by these boys. They cut off some of my left fingers and also chopped off one guy’s hand on the spot.”

A former Secretary of Ladipo Central Executive Auto Dealers’ Association, and currently an exco member, Uche Okpara, corroborated the victims’ stories and attributed the crisis to the ambition of the present executive led by one Kingsley.

He said the way Lagos State Government can stop the crisis is to dissolve the executives of Ladipo Central Executive Auto Dealers’ Association and set up an investigative panel, whose recommendations will form the basis of settling crisis in the market.

On the alleged invasion of the market by cultists, Okpara said it is no longer a hidden thing, as it is what anybody who goes to the market can witness.