There is palpable tension in and around the Ile Ipo market in the Alimosho LGA of Lagos, following a clash that led to the torching of stalls and goods.
Our correspondent understands that the crisis began on Wednesday night following a rift over a game of lotto.
When NewMailNG visited the market on Thursday, it was learnt that a trader who is from the northern region of the country, played the popular game and won a certain amount of money.
However, when the trader walked to the lotto vendor to claim his money, there was a disagreement over the exact amount won.
The altercation between the trader and the lotto vendor was said to have snowballed into an ethnic squabble and a free-for-all fight that was seized by hoodlums.
A fire was set in a section of the market amid the faceoff, leaving traders and customers scampering for safety. Thereafter, shops were looted and burnt as tempers flared.
The fight continued on Thursday morning before police officers were mobilised to the scene.
Some people were said to have sustained injuries during the clash.
At the moment, all the shops in the market have been shuttered, with police officers patrolling the vicinity and the neighbourhood to maintain law and order.