Lagos State Government, yesterday, debunked allegation that it deported 67 indigenes of Anambra State, saying what happened was that the state government did rehabilitation and resettlement of citizens from other states.
It equally assured residents of adequate security of life and property in the wake of the recent arrest of some Boko Haram suspects in the state.
Briefing after the weekly security meeting chaired by Governor Babatunde Fashola, state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Manko, said the state government only resettled the 67 Anambra indigenes.
According to him: “What happened was that the state government did rehabilitation and resettlement of the citizens from other states. These were those who came into the state and turned into destitute.
“After the state government realised this, it embarked on a reform mission. After that, they indicated that they would be happy to go back to their home-towns and be resettled. That was what happened. There wasn’t any deportation as claimed.”
Similarly, Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has berated critics of Lagos State Government over the controverial deportation, saying no sane government will be blackmailed into allowing homeless individuals to inflict security and environmental problems to its state just to please those that readily play lousy and retrogressive politics with issues for selfish and ulterior interests.
In a statement by its state Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, the party said it was irked by the decision of “some professional chance takers and political opportunists to take advantage of the recent movement of some indigent, homeless and social miscreants to Onitsha for the purpose of re-connecting with their families when they have no tangible business in Lagos.
“We expect that the opposition in Lagos and its array of frustrated politicians will certainly seek to play politics with the decision of the Lagos State government to move some people that have no tangible business staying in Lagos to their home states.
“We expected that the professional ethnic agitators who have wasted public offices in Igboland, pillaging resources that would have served the interests of the people are now cashing further from the plights of their vicious approach to governance on this issue.
“It is a shame to the opposition that it is seeking cheap political capital from the plight of the hapless victims of its free loading approach to governance and has drawn the support of ethnic irredentists whose failure on governance left the Igbo people so poor that they have become homeless refugees in Lagos and other parts of the country.”
“To put the records straight, the Lagos State government, with its commitment to the interests of Lagosians and in its effort to build a functional modern mega city, had long embarked on the decision to pick up the many derelicts, the homeless, beggars and social miscreants that inhabit all parts of Lagos, clean them up, find means of livelihood for those that are employable and send those it cannot manage to their respective states.
“We are all aware that this scheme has seen the practical reduction in the number of the beggars, street urchins and social miscreants that used to constitute real danger to life in Lagos and has seen such people moved back to various states, mainly in the North.
“We should note also that other states in the South, including South West states have received such people and the Lagos State Government has been careful to ensure that the number of people involved in such periodic movements are minimal and are only people who do not have where to stay in Lagos, who don’t have any real engagement in Lagos and who constitute nuisance to other Lagosians.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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This is part of the reasons Obasanjo was selected by Northerners in 1999, against Yoruba's Choice (Olu Falaye). Any Yoruba leader who allow Himself to be seen as a tribalist will find it difficult to rule this country.
ReplyDeleteThat was the single reason that deprived Awolowo from becoming president. (I WILL BE A YORUBA MAN BEFORE BECOMING A NIGERIAN). Words of Awolowo, which is OK, But does he has to say that in public as a leader aspiring to rule both Igbo and Hausa ??
I think all the South-South,South-East Midlebelt should come out in mass 2015 and Vote this A.C.N out of lagos
God will bless you, Apc ACN should be voted out of power, three toll gate in thesame location are we not paying tax? They should be volted out
DeleteDefense mechanism. we still have so many beggars roaming the streets of Lagos especially from the North's. APART from Boko......
ReplyDeleteJoe Igbokwe should handle this carefully. There's no single justification for "deportation" of Nigerians inside Nigeria. Rehabilitation of these unfortunate Nigerians should have involved their family members and proper resettlement in their various homes, not dumping in Upper Iweka.
ReplyDeleteNo serious govt will allow its state to become a haven of derilics and potential hoodlums.its unfortunate that a move that affected every tribe of nigerians will be percieved by some people as marginalisation. Its due to their selfish nature.which as been detrimental to them in ways that even they cannot count .
ReplyDeleteThis Defence from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police on behalf of Lagos state Gov't does not seem to hold water. That people who are being assisted to join their families are dumped on no-man's land, not even to the Social Welfare department of the state, is radiculous and the most inhumane treatment a citizen can get from a constituted authority. But this only speaks volumes of how our enlightened leaders value life as long as the are in their comfort zones. Just see the trend: no okada, no buses in certain areas, demolision of houses in Maroko etc; all these to enable the rich remain comfortable where ever they find themselves. May the Lord help the poor.
ReplyDeleteGovernment without mission and vision, hope you people will still vote for them again? just look out how they are treating the poor masses.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite unfortunate that pple to whom we confide so much trust & authority may not even pass aptitude tests in civilized Nations & they also think everybody is as shallow minded as they're. If they hadn't given any explanation,it would have been better than coming to tell us crap. If it was rehabilitation & resettlement,should it not be executed jointly with d states whose indegenes are involved? Considering d fact that they are federating units of the same Nation & d fundamental rights of those involved are under a constitution of the same FGN & not the constitution of the different states that make up the federation. Don't you all see why we should peacefully accept to split this Nation. All or most of our problems are bcos we just can't exist as one.
ReplyDelete