Lagos, Nigeria, 10/22 - At least three persons were killed and several vehicles burnt when two factions of an outlawed ethnic militia clashed in a suburb of Nigeria`s commercial city of Lagos early Friday, the police said.

Lagos police command spokesman Bode Ojajuni told PANA the violence at Iyana Ipaja area resulted from a simmering crisis within the militia group Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), which got out of control about 4 a.m. Friday.

Those killed in the violence were commercial bus drivers burnt along with their vehicles at a park that was the epicentre of the clash.

Ojajuni said a squadron of anti-riot policemen had been deployed to maintain peace in the area.

"We are hunting for the key actors in the violence and they will be brought to book once apprehended," he said.

"Police will not tolerate the disruption of law and order in Lagos by any group," the spokesman said.

Clashes between the two factions of the OPC, which has been banned by the federal government, usually results in deaths and destruction of property.