Three people were shot dead on Tuesday when gunmen believed to be rival cult members opened fire during the annual masquerade festival in the Orile Iganmu area of Lagos State.
The incident happened as the popular Igunnuko masquerader appeared for its usual Tuesday outing. According to residents, some youths began shooting behind the masquerader as part of the usual display, but the situation quickly turned violent.
A resident named Toyosi said trouble started when two rival groups saw each other. Instead of shooting into the air as they normally do, a suspected cult leader and his group allegedly fired directly at their opponents. Three people were killed, while several others were injured as people ran for safety.
Another resident said the festival is meant to promote peace in the community and that such violence had never occurred before.
An anti-cultism group, Naija Confra, posted on X that two of the victims’ bodies were left at the scene, while one was taken away. The group also claimed that one of the suspected attackers, known as Babalawo, fled to Ilorin in Kwara State.
The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, did not respond to calls or messages requesting a comment on the incident.
This comes just days after two men, Jonathan and Konto, were stabbed to death in a separate suspected cult clash in Agbarho, Delta State.
