Dispute over some plots of land on Church Street, Ilaje, in the Ajah area of Lagos worsened on Saturday as suspected thugs set ablaze three houses and 15 shanties built on the land.

It was learnt that hoodlums hindered officials of the Lagos State Fire Service from putting out the fire as they reportedly threw sachets of petrol into the scene to fuel the fire.

Two groups, Ajah Ijebu and Ajah Ilaje, were said to be fighting over the ownership of the land.

Acting Head, Lagos State Fire Service, Mrs. Margret Adeseye, said policemen from the Area J Command, Ajah, were mobilised to the neighbourhood to restore normalcy.

She said, “A team from Lekki Phase 1 Fire Station deployed in the scene, on arrival discovered that it was a fire involving three bungalow buildings with 48 rooms of varying sizes and 15 shanty structures. The buildings are situated on about 1,944sq metres.

“The rooms and contents were severely damaged as the fire raged on because there were rivalry groups: the Ajah Ijebu and the Ajah Ilaje who were having a dispute over the land. Stones, sachet water, bottled water of content like petrol were thrown into the fire to disturb firemen from performing their lawful duty.

“When the situation became tensed up, men of the State Fire Service were advised to withdraw by the leader of the police team, ACP Gbolahan for safety reason.”

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said preliminary investigation revealed that the fire had ‘criminal intent.’

The police spokesperson in the state, DSP Bala Elkana, said, “Twenty suspects were arrested within Ilaje and Ajah communities for gang violence.”