The
Lagos State Government has allegedly deported no fewer than 67
persons from the city of Lagos to Onitsha in Anambra State. It
was gathered that the people who were transported in a truck arrived
Onitsha at about 2.30am yesterday accompanied by armed policemen who
returned to Lagos shortly after the ‘human cargo’ was off loaded.
Some
of those who were brought in said they were detained for crimes they
did not commit before they were subsequently moved out of the state.
But the Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, Mr. Lateef
Ibirogba denied the speculations that the government deported 67
persons from Lagos.
He
said: “We did not deport anybody. By the constitution of Nigeria,
everybody has a right to live in any part of the country. But we have
been emphasizing that people must live within the law. However, it is
not true.”
Some
of the 67 persons, who were dropped off told newsmen that they were
arrested, detained and subsequently brought to Lagos by law
enforcement agents. One of them who gave her name as Chima said: “I
was on my way home to Okokomaiko in Lagos when a group of young men
accosted me and took me to a place I do not know. When I got there, I
met these people and over 29 some of who died in detention. I thank
God that I am now free and I want people to help me so that I can
find my way home.”
Another
who gave his name as John Irabor from Benin, Edo State said he and
his fellow inmates had a traumatic time while they were in detention.
He insisted that he did not commit any crime and said they were
neither charged to any court nor incarcerated in prison.
His
words: “While we were in detention, they fed us only once a day and
even when the food was brought, it usually tasted bad. If you look at
us, you will see that we were treated badly.”
When
contacted, the Onitsha Area Commander, Mr. Benjamin Woru said the
police would investigate the incident and ensure that the victims
were monitored so that there would be no security breach.
Culled from sunnewsonline
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