Eyo Masquerades Assault Residents During 2025 Lagos Festival, Videos Spark Social Media Outrage

The 2025 Eyo Festival in Lagos turned violent as videos circulated online showing Eyo masquerades assaulting residents with staves during street processions. One clip showed four men in traditional white regalia attacking a man, while another captured residents throwing objects at masquerades. Social media users condemned the incidents, questioning the excessive use of force and lack of crowd control. Some speculated the victim may have breached traditional taboos, but others criticized the response as extreme. The festival, the first since 2017, had earlier welcomed dignitaries including President Bola Tinubu and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.