Large crowds on Tuesday overwhelmed Balogun Market on Lagos Island as residents trooped out in their numbers for last-minute year-end shopping, crippling movement around the commercial hub.
A viral video making the rounds online showed extreme congestion within and around the market, with traders and shoppers barely able to move as they jostled for limited space in one of Lagosโ busiest trading centres.
The footage captured scenes of tightly packed walkways and stalled human traffic, as buyers scrambled to complete end-of-year purchases ranging from clothes and shoes to household items.
The gridlock is largely being blamed on Nigeriansโ long-standing culture of last-minute shopping, often described as โpanic buying,โ where many delay festive purchases until the final days of the year.
Balogun Market, known for its wholesale and retail activities, traditionally experiences a spike in patronage toward the end of the year.
As of the time of reporting, no incidents had been confirmed, though the situation highlights the recurring challenge of overcrowding during peak festive periods in Lagos.
Watch the video below:
๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ-๐๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ญ๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ค๐๐ญ
Credit: X | dammiedammie
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