[size=14pt]Pose as masquerade, go to jail, Lagos gov warns miscreants[/size]
By OLUWOLE FAROTIMI
Friday, May 13, 2011


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For street miscreants in Lagos State popularly known as ‘Area Boys’ who have cultivated the habit of posing as masquerades to extort money from members of the public, the end of the road has come, as the state government has vowed to prosecute and jail anyone caught parading the metropolis as masquerade.

Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, who revealed this at a briefing in Lagos on Thursday, said the criminal practice had marred the efforts of the state government in making the state a tourists destination, adding that the state government would deal summarily with any offenders.

He said masquerade match in the state from the outset was tied to one festival or the other that had ancestral embellishment and undertones, pointing that out the present practice of people now parading the streets any time they were broke to harass the residents and make money was wrong and illegal, and must be resisted by both the people and government.

The commissioner, who reiterated government’s commitment to tourism development in the state, blamed the delay in the take-off operation at Sunburn Yacht, a sea-based elegant hotel on what he called boardroom wrangling among the stakeholders. He pointed out that they had resolved their differences for the hotel operation to take off next year. He reiterated that the controversial hotel that had dragged the name of both the state government and its officials in the mud was not a state government investment, noting that the state government only provided enabling environment for investments to thrive in the state.

He pointed out that the improved security situation had boosted development of tourism and establishment of magnificent hotels in various parts of the state. He explained that the various festivals and carnivals held in the state recently were designed by the present government to make Lagos State tourist destination, pointing out that the move had paid off given the teeming number of tourists who attended the festival and carnivals.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/may/13/national-13-05-2011-019.html

ur lucky he is only banning them, i wld go as far as burning them-----

slavery to culture n tradition is by far worst than slavery to a person, say no to slavery

they cant go around flogging foreigners nah.

that's not good for tourism.

their getting away with flogging some nigerians isnt good either.

they can display and dance without flogging anybody.

The issue isn't flogging , they try to scare people and part with their valuable possessions i.e money, phones and even jeweleries. Anyway their number one victims are the females.

True.

Do masquerades still exist?

good

End of d road for beggarly masquerades
Gleeeeeeee. Up LASG

Truth be told, those people intimidate others and play on people's shock and fear some times. I have experienced it before- when the so-called-egun is running after you with a keen intent on probably flogging you to extort money. As much as some things are done in the name of culture/tradition, excesses need to be curbed as well. They can't go about spreading this depravity in the name of 'tradition' Well done and said Fashola, I tell you, if you run for president, I shall vote for you.

Truth be told, those people intimidate others and play on people's shock and fear some times. I have experienced it before- when the so-called-egun is running after you with a keen intent on probably flogging you to extort money. As much as some things are done in the name of culture/tradition, excesses need to be curbed as well. They can't go about spreading this depravity in the name of 'tradition' Well done and well said Fashola, I tell you, if you run for president, I shall vote for you.

D ban should have been in place eons ago, If any of these hungry masquerades come running, I suggest a swift kick n d groin will sanitize d spirit!

Does this ban include "Father Christmas" cos seem to scare the kid rather than attract them

Remove toll-gates from Lekki Peninsular road or I wont vote for ACN 2015

THAT IS A START, I HOPE THIS IS EFFECTIVE, AND I HOPE THE GOVERNMENT GOES ON TO BRING WAYS IN CURBING THE MENACE OF AREA BOYS WHO HAVE COMPLETELY TAKEN OVER LAGOS   IN DUE TIME.

^^^^VERY TRUE, THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME I RESPECTED MILITARY RULE,  WHEN MARWA WIPED THEM OUT AND THE REST WENT INTO HIDING,  IT WAS THEIR WARLOCK (BOLA TINUBU) WHO CAME IN AND ALLOWED THEM TOO MUCH FREEDOM AND EVEN AUTHORITY,  SO IRRITATING.

THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO TACKLE THAN ANY COWARDLY MASQUERADE WHO CAN'T BEG FOR MONEY WITH HIS REAL IDENTITY 

does it mean lagbaja will be jailed?

do you know how to translate that? if so would you please help me out?

Oh,  Hajiah sef are in BRF trouble?

I guess its time for those pple to be poked in the face.

BRF, u no want make this boys chop?? Abeg wat of Eyo?? Those with white garment @ Oshodi

that is a good one,jare

good at lease Lagosians will stop seen masquerade pursing them in their dream

y dont they start with LAGBAJA, omo iya eleko.

I saw them at Yaba. Day before yesterday, go and arrest them there.

I believe Lagos island, idumota area of Lagos is the appropriate place to go and arrest them, especially those once that that are carrying weep (eegun)

c

Masqurades, Omo onile touts, and Agberos. Why is fashola going after the most irrelevant menace. He should start with those Yoruba thugs who threaten home builders and those NURTW bullies. How many masqurades are there in Lagos by the way?

 

must you slot that in, not all the so called thugs are yoruba u know? or are you saying all agberos/conductors are yoruba?

Hmmmm. Egungun becareful!!!