Widespread outrage has trailed the circulation of a viral video showing Eyo masquerades assaulting a man during the ongoing 2025 Eyo Festival in Lagos.
WATCH: Eyo Festival Turns Violent In Lagos As Residents Clash With Masquerades pic.twitter.com/w8cX8xvzup
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 27, 2025
The video, which surfaced on Saturday, shows about four men dressed in white Eyo regalia with red hats repeatedly beating a man with their staves. As the victim struggled to shield himself from the blows, more masked men ran toward the scene, apparently to join in the assault, while bystanders looked on without intervening.
WATCH: Hoodlums Brandish Guns During Eyo Festival In Lagos, Unleash Mayhem pic.twitter.com/lQdOOSAPm6
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 27, 2025
In another clip sighted on Saturday, a separate confrontation was captured in which residents hurled chairs and other objects at a group of Eyo masquerades during a procession, after the masquerades reportedly approached a gate where people had gathered.
Although the immediate cause of the clashes has not been officially confirmed, the videos have triggered widespread condemnation on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), with many Nigerians criticising the use of violence during what is traditionally regarded as a sacred cultural celebration.
One user, Oziegbe Odion (@DaSTReet5), lamented:
“I no understand this generation of Eyo at all… The Eyo wey I sabi before no dey mob person like this.”
Another user, Oladele (@dele003), wrote:
“This is absolutely wrong. Why attack an innocent person with a staff when you know it will injure the person?”
Some commenters suggested the victim may have violated traditional rules — such as wearing shoes or headgear in the presence of the masquerades — while others insisted that no breach justified such a level of beating, blaming miscreants for hijacking the festival.
The 2025 Eyo Festival, the first since 2017, drew major dignitaries earlier in the day, including President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, especially at Tafawa Balewa Square.
Despite the colourful celebrations, the viral clips have raised serious concerns about crowd control and the conduct of some masquerades during street processions.
As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Government has not yet issued an official statement on the incidents captured in the videos.