Prof Corruption:

If you like, you can say it's not a crime be a nuisance or even murderer. That's your interpretation. Ask those who ran foul of the law now in Anambra, they would tell you exactly what happened to them?

thegoodjoehunt:

In America, the sharing of resources is not the same. In Nigeria, a lot of kids stand no chance. They are robbed and some gain from their robbery. These so called destitutes are Nigerians. Gov. Fashola scored low points here. He is too wrong to feel his country men should be deported in their own country.

naptu2: Once again, people keep talking about forced "deportation". Nobody was "deported". People who are arrested for violating the environmental laws are given a choice. There are many who choose to go to the rehabilitation centres. Some choose to provide community services. While some choose repatriation.

Nobody has been "deported".

naptu2:

The capital of Nigeria was The City of Lagos. Do you know what The City of Lagos is? It basically comprised of Lagos Island, Ikoyi Island, Victoria Island, Apapa, Yaba and Surulere. That's all! In fact, Yaba and Surulere were not considered as part of the city but as city suburbs.

It was The City of Lagos that was capital until 1991, not Lagos State.

The other parts of Lagos State were part of The Western Region until 1967.

The City of Lagos was governed by Lagos City Council up until the late 1970s when more local governments were created. Ikeja, Palm Grove, etc were never governed by Lagos City Council.

Prof Corruption:

Of course, Lagos program can't be designed like NY program. There's no basis for that. Lagos laws are meant to serve Lagos, not New york. I don't care where they are dropped be it under bridge, whether 1am or they are destitute or rich.

naptu2:

This clearly shows that you don't know what the process is about. I might need to copy most of my posts to this thread. The whole point of this scheme is to help the destitutes, but you are making it seem like it's some sort of punishment.

thegoodjoehunt:

He should exclude that repatriation/deportation. They are Nigerians. Maybe Americans and British should star repartriting defaulters in their country in America who are Americans.

naptu2:

The capital of Nigeria was The City of Lagos. Do you know what The City of Lagos is? It basically comprised of Lagos Island, Ikoyi Island, Victoria Island, Apapa, Yaba and Surulere. That's all! In fact, Yaba and Surulere were not considered as part of the city but as city suburbs.

It was The City of Lagos that was capital until 1991, not Lagos State.

The other parts of Lagos State were part of The Western Region until 1967.

The City of Lagos was governed by Lagos City Council up until the late 1970s when more local governments were created. Ikeja, Palm Grove, etc were never governed by Lagos City Council.

manny4life:

Mr. please stick to the topic at hand, being a public nuisance (if you choose), IS NOT A CRIME ON ITS FACE, MURDER IS A CRIME, under the Penal code of ANY sovereign nation and usually punishable by death or life in prison. Those who ran foul in Anambra committed a "CRIME", acknowledged by fed and state, whereas being a public nuisance IS NOT A CRIME.

manny4life: m

Which is what makes it vital to the term deportation - the act of forcefully removing a person from their native land;

naptu2:

1) There is NO DEPORTATION!

2) Why should he exclude repatriation? If people choose to go back to their families because they discover that Lagos is not what they thought it would be, why shouldn't the government assist them? Well, you may not like it, but the government has the right to assist such people.

thegoodjoehunt:

How will a mentally ill man make a choice or find his way at 3:00 am in a strange place? How will homeless people find their ways in a differnet state? If that isn't punishment, what is?

naptu2: Skills Acquisition Centers. The Lagos State Skills Acquisition Centers are set up for people who do not have jobs, to enable them to learn skills that will enable them earn a living. Any unemployed person can attend the skills acquisition centres, but there is also a special set of people who are sent to the centres by the government after being screened. These set of people are the area boys, homeless, street traders, beggars, etc.

Below is the process for the special class of attendees:

[size=14pt]The Process[/size]

1)The environmental laws of Lagos State (laws against street trading, begging, etc) have been in place at least since the 1970s (probably earlier). They've been reviewed quite a number of times (Akhigbe, Rasaki, Tinubu).

2) The process was fully established by the Tinubu Administration.

3) Beggars, street traders, destitutes, area boys, psychotics, etc are arrested by the Task Force on Environmental Offences.

4) They are given a choice: (a) go to prison (b) go to rehabilitation centre (c) return to your state of origin.

A) The law stipulates punishment for those who commit these offences. They include prison term, fine, forfeiture of goods.

B) Rehabilitation centres were set up (the most famous/infamous was at Ita-Oko Island). At the centres the inmates are sorted. They are tested for drugs. Those who are drug addicts are detoxified. Those who have mental illnesses are sent to the asylum. The inmates (apart from the lunatics) are then taught skills (skills acquisition centre) so that they'll be able to earn a living. When they complete the course, they are given a loan with which they will start a business and made to sign an undertaking that they will not return to the streets.

C) Return: Those who choose to return are transported to their state of origin. The state government is usually informed ahead of time (although I know of 3 instances in which their state governments claimed that they were not informed) so that they can make arrangements to cater for the people. Most of the people who have chosen to return are from the northern part of the country (note: they chose to return).

Prof Corruption:

I had a good laugh. You obviously have a rudimentary knowledge of what law is or not. It's not what you think the law is or should be but what the law is actually is! Ignorance of law is not an excuse.

Read about LASG environmental laws and quit preaching gospel according to St. Manny4life

Prof Corruption:

Of course, you are at liberty to call it what you like.

thegoodjoehunt:

What is your point? Are you saying other regions like Yaba didn't benefit from Lagos City being capital?

naptu2:

Mentally ill people are sent to the psychiatric hospital.

manny4life:

Lol.. I had a good laugh as well, ignorance is not an excuse at all, more reason why I wished our dear retardeen will rise up to the occasion and put an end to this madness...

naptu2:

Not in any special way, no. The areas that were not part of the Federal Capital simply got some federal projects sited there just like any other part of Nigeria.

By the way, are you aware that the Federal Government, which runs Abuja, also practices repatriation?

naptu2: [size=14pt]Background and context [/size]

Unfortunately, the Lagos State Ministry of Justice website has not been the same since it was attacked by hackers early this year. I was going to repost the environmental sanitation act.


Environmental sanitation law has always been controversial in Lagos. People always complain about the state of the environment, but they complain even more when government takes steps to remedy the situation.

Back in the 1980s people often quoted the report that stated that Lagos was the dirtiest city in the world. Foreign news stations often showed pictures of Oshodi, kids hawking in traffic (dodging cars, etc), heaps of refuse on road median, etc. The people often complain about the presence of lunatics who wander the streets aimlessly.

Government response to these problems have included:

1) Colonial governments deploying health inspectors (the infamous "Wole Wole" ) to ensure that houses, markets, etc were kept clean. The people hated these health inspectors and accused them of bribery (I remember comedy sketches which depicted health inspectors stealing meat from people's pots in the guise of ensuring that the food was suitable for consumption).

2) Military governments deploying soldiers, policemen and other officials (environmental offences task force) to chase away beggars, street traders and other offenders. It was seen as a futile effort, because the traders and beggars would return to the same spot hours later. The law was amended to include the forfeiture of goods seized during such raids and imprisonment of offenders. The task force would seize the goods and burn them. Fela Anikulapo-Kuti sang

The time around 1975 and '77, police go seize expensive goods dem go start to burn burn them. Army go go market, anything cost money go burn burn dem (2x).

Why dem like to burn the things wey dey costee money? Government fit sell to people cheape cheape. Government fit dash people wey no get money.
And the burn burn na im dey sweet dem pass (burn and bribe). Na im dey sweet them pass. Oya oh, burn burn.

(Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, "Confusion Break Bone", c1980)

The people were sympathetic towards the traders and beggars and believed that the task force was cruel and inhuman. The public felt that these people were only trying to earn a living and their presence on the streets was a result of the economic decline caused by the government. It was also felt that sentencing these people to jail would mean sending them to a training centre where they would learn how to become hardened criminals (besides, the prisons were already over crowded. How many prisons would be built to accomodate the vast army of beggars and street traders?).

3) The return to civilian rule in 1999 ushered in a wave of ammendments to the law. The year 2000 amendment created the Kick Against Indiscipline Corps (basically, the environment police) and made the public-private system the only legal means of disposing waste in Lagos. It became illegal to patronise cart pushers and residents were given bin bags for free. Several markets were also closed because the market men and women engaged in street trading and improper means of disposing refuse.

The 2003 amendment presented offenders with 3 choices, rehabilitation, repatriation or jail.

This amendment was made because the government realised that the prison system was over crowded and thus it would not make sense to keep sending people who break the environmental sanitation laws to jail.

Sending them to jail also created bad publicity for the government. Offenders would often be more hardened and a greater danger to the society when they were released than when they were sent to jail. It was therefore decided that jail term would be a last resort.

Offenders would be given a second chance at life via the rehabilitation process. They could also choose to return to their home state via the repatriation process (some realised that it's better to farm in their home state, than to sleep on the streets of Lagos). Their home state government or relatives would be informed ahead of time, so that they can take steps to rehabilitate the returnees. For example, in the documentary I watched, the Kano State Government gave returnees some money to ease the process of resettlement.

Indeed, it was discovered that gangs of criminals act as agents, ferrying people from their home states to Lagos for a fee, promising them jobs when they get to Lagos and subsequently dumping them on the streets of Lagos. These gangs are particularly active in Kano State and Niger Republic. The City of Kano used to be the great economic centre of the sahel region of Africa. People came from far and wide to work in the factories in Kano City. However, chronic electricity cuts have led to the closure of many factories. Criminal gangs promise to help these people get jobs as security guards, okada riders, etc in Lagos in exchange for a fee and dump the people on the streets of Lagos.

In contrast, the rehabilitation and repatriation process would change the lives of offenders and enable them to become respectable and independent citizens.

Further amendments to the law since 2007 (Fashola administration) have made it illegal to give alms to beggars. Citizens are expected to channel such donations to registered charities, orphanages, destitute's homes, churches, mosques and other such institutions. It also provided the option of community service for people who break the law.

It should be noted that, under the law as it was before the 2003 amendment, the people who are currently being returned, would have been sent to jail.


Finally, it's a pity that the author of the article that the OP republished did such a shoddy job. He should have interviewed the returnees and then interviewed Lagos State Government officials. This would enable the public to know whether the scheme is still being implemented the way it was conceived, or whether it has derailed (the rehabilitation process suffered a setback when the Ita-Oko centre was burnt by inmates. Please ignore the bigotry in the link https://www.nairaland.com/400138/area-boys-lagos-ibadan-action ). Rather than doing this, the author wrote a sensational piece (probably to maximise sales/views) that made it seem like the returnees were forcibly deported and that they were returned simply because of their state of origin.

manny4life:

Lol... damn right.

When you forcefully remove someone, what is it called? Just like you evict someone, expelling someone is called what?

Did these people who complained bitterly, were they removed "at will"?

LOL.... Having a good laugh while waiting on my biscuit to cook....shhooot

Prof Corruption:

There's nothing GEJ can do except going to court. AGF can sue Lagos at supreme court seeking an order to declare LASG environmental laws unconstitutional. The onus is on whosoever takes such a role to prove his/her case.

manny4life:


Lol, so you think...LMAO, perhaps you think Fashola is the only one who knows how to use and abuse executive authority and the guiding laws of the nation... Like I said, if only the retardeen will exert his authority, Fashola will be the one marching to court to get the FG restrained..

naptu2:

Prof Corruption:

Fasola is enforcing Lagos laws. Let GEJ enforce Nigeria laws. case close.

thegoodjoehunt:

There is massive unemployment in Nigeria. So how will there not be hawkers. These are people self employing themselves to feed. Until unemployment is tackled and taken as a national obligation, hawkers should b left alone. They want to sweep their incompetence under the carpet.

naptu2:

Precisely why I said you don't know about this policy. Thank you for introducing the next part of my post. How is unemployment tackled? (Remember, it's all based on choice).

Eko Ile:




















Press Releases

Fashola Hands Over Mushin Skills Acquisition And Vocational Centre
…Says 13,422 men, women have so far been trained through them

Feb 15, 2011 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola on Tuesday handed over the 17th Skills Acquisition and Vocational Centre in the State located at Mushin, revealing that the State has so far trained about 13,422 men and women.

Governor Fashola who spoke at the official commissioning of the Mushin Skill Acquisition Centre said from Amuwo Odofin, Badagry, Egan, Egbeda and Ejigbo, through Eredo, Iba, Ibeju Leki, Igbooye, Ikorodu and Kosofe to Lagos Island, Shibiri in Ojo, Surulere and Agege, the State has continually turned out thousands of young men and women with productive skills with which they are putting food on thousands of tables and contributing to the economy of the State.

The Governor said apart from the sustained support which the State gives to the ordinary people, Government has evolved a people oriented policy of facilitating training for the young people to acquire skills and granting them access to credit to start their own businesses, Government has also created a database for them to establish their location and for them to relate with themselves through the compilation and publication of the Lagos State Business Directory which is similar to "Yellow Pages".

He said beyond all the support for ordinary people, the State has evolved a people oriented policy of patronizing the local manufacturers and entrepreneurs over the foreign producers.

He recalled that the 2010 Lagos Carnival is a clear testimony of the practice as the over 93, 000 pieces of costumes used for the carnival that could have been imported much cheaper was commissioned for local production.

He stressed that the decision to site skill acquisition centres in different parts of the state was part of the administration's resolve to encourage young people to acquire vocational skills and create an avenue to make money and sustain themselves.

Governor Fashola expressed his worry at the recent policy shift by the Federal Government which allows importation of furniture, toothpick, textiles and vehicles of 15 years into the country.

He described the step as an economic tragedy for the nation which is not defensible and called for its reversal.

Governor Fashola stressed that the frenzy of importation has killed the local economy leading to high rate of unemployment and noting that smuggling could be tamed by well structured security mechanisms rather than throwing the flood gates open of goods to all sorts.

"This policy decision is not the answer to the problem of smuggling. The answer to the problem of smuggling lies rather in a methodical and multi-dimensional response. It includes the strengthening of the Customs through technology such as scanners, to improving the local productive capacity of our people and reducing dependence on imports and its attraction", he added.

He said if the Federal Government reverses the policy on importation and concentrate on stimulating the growth of the local industry through accelerated electricity supply, "our freight forwarders, our customs and our ports will become busier from a positive reversal of fortunes that is driven by an export oriented economy rather than an import driven economy".

He urged the people to vote massively for all the candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria in Lagos because it is the only party that can deliver the goods which is very visible for everyone to see.

He urged the people of Lagos State not to give the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) any chance to rule in any part of the country anymore, adding that it is a party that is rebranding on a vision that is giving Nigerians insecurity and inflicting a nightmare on the people.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the location of the centre in Mushin is informed by the administration's policy of tackling poverty and women empowerment at the grassroots.

She said the numerous skill acquisition programmes of the Ministry has offered diverse opportunities to all classes of Lagosians to learn various vocations after which they are provided with needed capital and conducive environment to start practicing their trade.

Mrs Orelope-Adefulire said that so far, over 60,000 grassroots women and youths have been trained in year 2010 alone through the Acquisition centres.

In his welcome address, the Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Mr Babatunde Adepitan said the construction of the Skills Acquisition Centre in Mushin at that particular spot is another miracle of the century which could be better compared to what happened at Oshodi.

He said as a responsible Government the Council received the gift with both hands and has complimented the efforts of the State by immediately constructing all the roads leading to the centre.

In a message of solidarity Commissioner for Environment, Dr Muiz Banire who is also an indigene of the area commended Governor Babatunde Fashola and his team for a job well done in transforming Lagos State.

He said the site of the project was hitherto a major security risk for the residents of the area just as it also constituted an environmental disaster spot, saying through the resourcefulness of the present administration, it has been transformed.

The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, members of the State Executive Council, members of the National Assembly and State Assembly representing Mushin and political leaders as well as enthusiastic residents of the area who trooped out to receive the Governor witness the event.

manny4life:

LMAO...And is Lagos an entity outside Nigeria?

As long as Lagos is part of the union called Nigeria, Lagos is under the jurisdiction of GEJ.... CASE CLOSED

naptu2: Some of the skills acquisition centres:

Epe Skill Acquisition Centre
Eredo Village, Adjacent to Eredo Local Council Development Office,

Epe, Ijebu Ode Road, Eredo Epe.               

Tel: 08056111965

Epe Skill Acquisition Centre
Igbo - Oye Village, off Epe- Ijebu-Ode Road.                                                

Tel: 08033538429                               

Ikorodu I Skill Acquisition Centre

45, Oriwu Road, Ita - Elewa, Ikorodu.    

Tel: 08023417779                               

Kosofe Skill Acquisition Centre                      

9, Folashade Ajayi Street, off Adebayo Mokuolu Street, Anthony Village.                                              

Tel: 08034721168

Lagos Island Skill Acquisition Centre            

Oja Oba Model Market Complex, Adeniji Adele Road, Lagos Island.         

Tel: 08023375408                               

Surulere Skill Acquisition Centre

Iyun Road, Beside Police Station, off Western Avenue, Hogan Bassey, Surulere.                                    

Tel: 01-8709118                                 

Ejigbo Skill Acquisition Centre

Oshodi Isolo LASTMA Compound, Ejigbo Road, Ejigbo.                                              
Tel: 08023602558                                

Mushin Skill Acquisition Centre

Olawoyin Street,
Off Layi Oyekanmi Palm Avenue,
Mushin

Millennium School Compound,         

Karimu Laka Street,                        

Tel: 08023213126                   

Amuwo-Odofin Skill Acquisition Centre

Council Development Area              

Oriade,

Ijegu

Tel: 08033486587

Shibiri Skill Acquisition Centre

Shibiri - Ekunpa Road,

Shibiri,
Ojo     

Tel: 08062476097

Badagry Skill Acquisition Centre

Marina Road, Beside Divisional Libarary,

Badagry                          

Tel: 08023045263       

Egan Skill Acquisition Centre

Egan Road, Igando Market Bus                 

Stop, off LASU Expressway.             

Tel: 08023139747/07025292805      

IBA Skill Acquisition Centre

Iba LCDA Compound,

Iba.

Tel: 08023964301                             

Ikor

Aga, Ikorodu.
Tel: 08023417779

Ibeju Lekki Skill Acquisition Centre

Orimedu Town,

Off Eleko Beach,

Ibeju Lekki

Women Development Centre

Oba-Akinjobi Road,

Pen Cinema Agege,

Isheri Rehabilitation/Skill Acquisition Centre

Opposite Sweet Sensation,

Isheri-Olowoira,

Ojodu, Berger.

mekusxxx: Print version ‘Area Boys’ Burn Rehabilitation Centre
February 17, 2010 17:16, 105 views

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The multi-million naira Lagos State Rehabilitation and Skills Acquisition Centre, Tekunle, Lagos State has been burnt by area boys taken to the centre for rehabilitation.

The centre was built by former Governor Bola Tinubu about six years ago to rehabilitate area boys and drug addicts arrested on the streets of Lagos.

Tekunle is an Island at a remote area of Lekki and has often been described as a ‘place of no return’ because of its inaccessibility.

Area boys taken to the Island, after sometime adjust to the environment and learn useful skills such as tailoring, carpentry, vulcanizing, among others for a period of nine months after which they are sent back into the society to live meaningful lives.

However, P.M.NEWS gathered that scores of area boys sent for rehabilitation went on the rampage recently and razed the centre.

Equipment bought with millions of naira and the buildings in the centre were burnt by the area boys, bringing to an end the rehabilitation programme of the Lagos State Government for social miscreants.

It could not be ascertain why the area boys went on the rampage.

P.M.NEWS gathered, however, that the trainees revolted when they were being flogged for refusing to carry out certain instruction.

Officers of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences unit, it was further learnt, saved the day as they stormed the centre and arrested scores of the area boys who carried out the act.

Chairman of the Task Force, Bayo Sulaiman, when contacted told P.M.NEWS that those arrested had been charged to the Tapa Customary Court, Lagos Island for arson.

He disclosed that the suspects were currently being remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons, adding that the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Supo Sasore, was handling the case for the government.

When asked to give details on how the area boys burnt the centre, he declined, saying that our reporter should go to the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development to get such information.

When contacted, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Kamal Junaid said: “I don’t know anything about it; you can contact the Public Relations Officer or the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth, Sports and Social Development.”

Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth, Sports and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru, could not be reached.

One of his aides who picked the call said his boss was in a meeting and that we should call later.

Since the inception of the centre, about four sets of area boys had been rehabilitated and empowered to live meaningful lives in the society.

Some of them had told stories of their wretched past and how their lives changed when they were rehabilitated at the training centre.

With the burning of the centre, it appears the laudable plan of the state government to rehabilitate the notorious area boys has been dealt a mortal blow.