PointB:

Does prior communication justify dumping them at the bridge head in the dead of the night? They are human beings for crying out loud, not cargoes; they could be poor or hapless but still they are humans, and deserved better! I don't know why you are so heartless, wicked, barbaric in your argument and thinking - you and some of your folks here!

mikeansy: not quite sure what Ngige is saying here

PointB:


So you are telling us here that your family lives at Onitsha bridge head? That it is safe, great, and fair to dump you or any of your relative at some bridge head by 3.00 am in the morning? You are also telling us it is proper to keep people against their will for up to 6 months against their will prior to such deportation?

I think you rather face your history photo journalism, this is a tad too complicated for you!

eagle,eye:
I never expected anything less from Ngige a "staunch ACN" and flag bearer of the same party in Anambara.
Maybe Anambarians can reply him with their votes, no need to make too much noise.

naptu2:

Who agreed to have the transfer done there? Wasn't it the Anambra State Government? Why didn't they show up? How come there was no controversy when Akwa-Ibom State had a transfer with the Lagos State Government? What do you even know about this policy? Do you think this is the first time people have been relocated? Do you know that even Lagos indigenes are re-integrated within Lagos?

Isn't this just another one of your ploys to whip up sentiments?

[size=14pt]Don't Incite Igbos Against Lagos, Fashola Warns Obi.[/size]

Published on August 1, 2013 by

Kazeem Ugbodaga

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has warned his counterpart in Anambra State, Peter Obi not to incite the Igbos against the Lagos state government, following the recent bussing of some Igbo destitute to Onitsha. Fashola, spoke with newsmen on Thursday after inspecting the on-going light rail project and Jetties in Mile 2 area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.


The governor accused Obi of playing politics with the matter and using the media to blow the issue out of proportion, saying that the governor has not deemed it fit to call him on the issue, only for him to make it a media issue.


“There is too much at stake for anyone to begin to incite the Igbo community against their host state. There is too much at stake here. It is a very dangerous and unwarranted precedent. “And I hope that common sense will prevail here.

Also those who are baying for blood should know that there is too much at risk here. When I get a formal complaint from the government of Anambra State or notification from the Presidency, I will lay the facts bare.

“It is unfortunate that my colleague governor has made this a media issue. As I speak, I haven’t received any telephone call or letter from him to complain and I don’t think that is the way government works. On less important matters like this, he had called me before,” he stated.

According to Fashola “this is a political season and Anambra will be up for contest and in a political season, unusual things happen and perhaps we are living in an interesting times. And some of the evidence was when one see two adults kissing on television, it tells you that some things are afoot.” He added that it was regrettable
issues of governance being trivialized or tried on the pages of newspaper, with all sorts of columnists writing on it.

On Obi reporting him to the presidency on the issue, the governor said he was not aware if there was any place in the constitution that gave the president the power to adjudicate in disputes between states. “Yes, I know that the president has a moral authority because he is the head of the sovereign state of the country. But I am not aware that the constitution states that the dispute between states should be settled by the Presidency.

“If Anambra State has an issue on this matter, and they feel aggrieved, they should call or write to us. I feel that the final arbiter should be the court. And it is really important to say that our hospitality in Lagos state is legendary. And it is a global legend that the people of Lagos State are hospitable people and so is the present government of the state and previous administrations,” he said.

Fashola stated that there is a large Igbo population in the state and that their presence was evident in Alaba with the Alaba International Market and the ASPAMDA market, saying that they are doing their business peacefully while the state government is working tirelessly to provide the required transport system, that would help improve the travel time and their businesses.

Ngwakwe: Stop defending the indefensible. Were you there when Peter Obi agreed to the venue of the handover?

Ji_sun_pack: [size=38pt]Why are these bigoted ibos not shouting when Obi deported beggars? [/size]

strangest: If Ngige can go to Okija shrine with the Ubahs and later betrayed them, I knew he will do the same tomorrow and am not surprised...

naptu2:

Read the first post. Chris Ngige has supplied a letter that was written by the Anambra State Government in which they stated the venue where they wanted the hand over to take place. He even attached the letter to his letter to Aka Ikenga.

Be patient, let's hear what Aka Ikenga will say when they meet Fashola (I hope they will not be labelled traitors).

N_girl: I've always liked Fashola but what he did is very unconstitutional. He has absolutely no right to do what he did. One can only be deported from a country to his/her original country. No one has any right to 'deport' citizens from one part of the country to another.

As for the reports posted that some Fulani children in the east were deported; Almajiri has never been a thing of the eastern, western and southern part of Nigeria. Even in Lagos, I've seen officers harass and shout at women mainly from Chad who sit by the roadside and send their children to beg.

If really Fulani herdsmen in the east were deported, then that is absolutely wrong. No one has a right to restrict a Nigerian to any part of the country irrespective of their tribe or religion.
I just hope this issue doesn't become to big and there won't be any retaliation in future.

noblezone:

Please, we need much work from your senatorial district.

We need to mobilise, educate and persuade our people.
So many are still living in the past.

www.facebook.com/soludon2013

Ayee Idris: I don't like double standards. When other states like Abuja and (from the News articles being posted)Anambra sends people away, its repatriation. When Lagos does the same, it is 'deportation'. Let's be fair and rational sometimes. Though If the allegation is true that they were left there at 4.00 a.m, that's not nice at all.
Let's not allow the issue ruin our ever improving tribal relations. Some of my best friends are Igbos and Yorubas. Two of my dearest Igbo friends are happily married to Yoruba men in Lagos and vice versa. Let's try and be civil with each other.

Demswear4u?:
There will be retaliation.
I can assure you.

naptu2: It seems that many people still do not know what the policy is about. People are still talking about "deportation" and "force" and all those things. It shows that they don't know what the policy is about.

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).

ilugunboy:

When is the retaliation.....pls hurry up....am tired of reading endless threats....


OUK seven days threat has passed...the bagger has chicken out like the coward he truly is....

naptu2: It seems that many people still do not know what the policy is about. People are still talking about "deportation" and "force" and all those things. It shows that they don't know what the policy is about.

funnyx:

Some people are tribalist to the core and until they purge themselves of this bigotry they'll always see every issue from a tribal angle. They are one of the reasons Nigeria is so messed up.