Hundreds of beggars in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, today stormed the Lagos State Government Secretariat and the House of Assembly to protest what they call undue harassment and plans to ban their activities by the state government.
The beggars carried placards and chanted Islamic songs and blocked the main entrance to the government secretariat while there was traffic gridlock as they prevented motorists from entering the secretariat.
The President of the Association of Physically Challenged, Alhaji Jubril Hassan, said the government was wrong to have asked beggars off the streets where they were enjoying their social rights.
Hassan also said it was illegal to deny them their fundamental freedom of movement.
“We adopted this medium to express our displeasure and unhappiness with the actions taken and the one to be taken by the Lagos State Government.
“Our movement within Lagos metropolis has been restricted such that anyone caught roaming the street is taken to Majidun prison (rehabilitation centre),” he said.
Hassan explained that in most cases, all their belongings had been seized, while they were also maltreated by the management of the camp.
“The condition of the camp is appalling and devastating, it causes more harm to our health.
“It has come to our notice that very soon anybody found giving us alms will be apprehended and imprisoned for two years,” he said.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to rescind its decision of denying the beggars the right to move freely within the state.
According to him, the policy will further aggravate their suffering, instead of alleviating it.
He called on the media, the NGOs and human rights activists to come to their aid.
The secretary of the association, Zakariwai Hassan, claimed that over 600 beggars had been arrested by the government without providing adequate alternative for them.
Hassan urged the state government to look into their plight and allow them to continue with their daily activities in the state.
The protesters were received by Mr Babatunde Panox, Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Security as the assemblymen were on recess.
He advised them not to take the law into their hands, promising that the government would find solutions to their problems.
“Your issue has been noted and I am assuring you that the government will find a solution to it urgently,” he said.
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Well, it's within their rights to protest.But why turn begging into a vocation. Why not return to their states of origin and set shops for begging, if they so desire. Why deface Lagos and thwart the effort of the Lagos state govt by messing up our environment
ReplyDeleteNonsense, imagine their leader saying it is their right. Is it our right as southerners to live in d north? Hv u people not ordered us out of ur state, yet u want to enjoy freedom in other people's state while unleashing terror in ur own state. Governor Fashola, kudos to u. May God give u wisdom to continue to lead us right.
ReplyDeleteI find it funny and laughable that we av beggers' association in the country. I think, rather than av dem in the Majidun rehab, govt should send them back to their states and check their influx into the state. Good riddance to bad nonsense!
ReplyDeleteYour comments are too harsh,if u listen to their plea u wil see that the govt is not doing enough for them.please let ur comments be refined cos some of you sound like racist.
ReplyDeleteInstead make una go find work do,una sef get president again...*smh*sure most of them are abokis,who also use their children to beg...y'all go back to ur villages nd leave lag...ema ba eko je ooo...
ReplyDeleteNo I disagree to what you just said. We need to deal with issues amicably so as not cause kiosk later. The governor has done the right thing getting them off the street, they should go look for alternative means of ends meet. Afterall disability doesn't mean rejection.
ReplyDeleteThank u fashola for stoping this abgero , I can see now dat holdup ve fully reduced in lagos but we still ve some stoborn one that refuse to go out of the rd,eg like okokomaiko, iyanaiba nd opp odo eran at barracks nd if u see the way this boys re biting this conductors u ve pity for them pls fashola do somtin about this places thank u
ReplyDeletePls I am comment to lagos state gov about some policemen that use to come out at night to do some evil job. They will bring a bus painted jaconde colour nd state picking people when the bus is full they will drive to somewhere and search everybody if u ve money on u they will collect it nd use gun to scare every body away.this thin hapen everyday pls try nd do sometin about it
ReplyDelete