Deportation: Igbo group demands N500Bn
compensation for victims on August 20, 2013 at 12:23 pm in News By Tony Edike
ENUGU – Pan-Igbo pressure group, the Enugu State
Roots Initiative (ESRI) has demanded immediate
payment of N500 billion compensation to the people
deported to the River Niger Bridge in Onitsha by the
Lagos State Government. Apart from paying the monetary compensation, the
body also asked the Lagos state government to
provide them with befitting housing accommodation
and publicly apologize for denigrating their personal
liberty and smearing the sanctity of the constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They also called on Ohanaeze Ndigbo, South East
Governors Forum, South East caucus in the National
Assembly and Igbo professionals and other groups, to
speak up in condemnation of the act. In a statement signed by the National President of the
body, Barrister Joni Icheka; Secretary, Mr. Uche
Nwegbo and Treasurer, Barrister Emma Nwodo, ESRI
maintained that the deportation negates sections 21
(1), 22 (1) and 15 (3) of the Constitution. They also condemned the Lagos state government for
sealing off the property of the former Abia State
Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and frowned at the
statements credited to the former Aviation Minister,
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, saying such statements were
capable of bringing about ethnic hatred and a breakdown of law and order. “ESRI therefore, demands an immediate payment of
the sum of N500 billion compensation to these ill-
treated Nigerians, whom the Lagos state government
said were Ndi Anambra. “Apart from paying them the compensation, the
state government should also immediately provide
them with befitting housing accommodation and
publicly apologize for denigrating their personal
liberty and smearing the sanctity of the constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “If the Lagos State Government and their Governor
fails to do these things within one month, we will be
left with no option than to conclude that it was done
with clear negative mind-set and vendetta and we
would be left with no option than to take appropriate
legal action,” the statement said. Pointing out that deporting any Nigerian from one part
of the country to another negates the constitution of
the country, the group described the action as ill-
advised and that it exposed the victims to danger and
extreme raining season weather. Said the body: “The Enugu Roots Initiative (ESRI),
having watched with studied silence and dismay, the
abracadabra and public reactions to the development
is compelled to state that Section 41 (1) of the Nigerian
Constitution states that: “Every citizen of Nigeria is
entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria
shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry
thereby or exit therefrom”. “Similarly, Section 42 (1) states that: “A citizen of
Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place
of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by
reason only that he is such a person:-
(a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical
application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government,
to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of
Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of
origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made
subject; or
(b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such
executive or administrative action, any privilege or
advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of
other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin,
sex, religions or political opinions. “Also, the same Constitution in Section 15 (3) stated
clearly that: “For the purpose of promoting national
integration, it shall be the duty of the state to: ‘(a)
provide adequate facilities for and encourage free
mobility of people, goods and services throughout the
federation; (b) secure full residence rights for every citizen in all parts of the federation. “The ‘state’ referred to in this section of the
constitution is the entire country, Nigeria which
includes Lagos and Anambra states. There is no
exception to these constitutional injunctions”. They claimed that the deportees were taken out of
Lagos “due primarily to their presumed socio-
economic status, religion or tribe, or for whatever
reason, could be dubbed as “undesirable
elements” in any part of the country and could be so
cruelly and inhumanly treated. “It should be pointed out that the only offence these
people committed, according to the Lagos State
Government, was that they were “poor”: no more,
no less. “The second offence they may have committed was
that they were presumed to be Igbo people, and so,
should not be seen begging for arms or engage in any
considered “menial activity” in Lagos State. “But, the questions should be asked: “Does it mean
that all Lagos State indigenes resident in every part of
the country, especially in Lagos State, are fully and
officially employed? “Do we have persons of the category referred to as
destitute Anambra indigenes from other parts of the
country that could still be found on the streets of Lagos
State even now”? Insisting that the “Area Boys” who parade the
streets of Lagos are worse than the deportees, ESRI
said such people are the ones who require urgent
rehabilitation since they are indigenes of Lagos State. Condemning the seal-up of the property of former
Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia state, they said the
deportation “is even more provocative when one
puts into perspective that notable Igbo personalities,
like the former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzo Kalu,
who spoke against this despicable deportation in his weekly Leadership Column in the Sun Newspaper,
was equally visited with this selective amnesia. His
constitutional and rightful liberty to his property was
curtailed for several hours by the goons of the Lagos
State Government. “Otherwise, why should the state government
surreptitiously rekindle what happened in the 50s and
60s when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was denied leadership
of the Western House of Assembly simply because he
was born by parents from the same axis like the
people the Lagos State Government ‘deported’? “It was this same self-righteousness and hatred for
Ndi-Igbo that led to the forceful removal of the first
Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor
Eni Njoku in 1965 through acts of “fire-by-force”
orchestrated by the defunct Western Regional
Government. “ESRI calls on the Ohaneze Ndigbo, the South East
Governors Forum and other notable groups of Igbo
extraction, to rise up immediately in condemnation of
this inhuman act. “Similarly, the South East caucus in the National
Assembly as well as Igbo professionals, should
condemn Lagos State and ‘their Fashola’,” the
group stated.

Who are these Eediots; dem no sabi d way 2 CBN?!...mtchewww!!!! Anyway if dis thread enters frontpage which i'm sure it will; then first to comment tins O°˚˚˚ #BreaksCoconut abeg wey d garrium; we gat celebrate!!!

Mere waste of time

Prof Corruption:

Make follow you laugh

to hell with them, in fact God purnish them and their group.

How do you expect lagos state to keep cleaning your governors and political leaders mess. Lagos is not meant for everyone. Their chairman was arrested in USA for smuggling funds meant for development of their state to his own franchise.

To hell with all these jokers

mankand: to hell with them, in fact God purnish them and their group.

How do you expect lagos state to keep cleaning your governors and political leaders mess. Lagos is not meant for everyone. Their chairman was arrested in USA for smuggling funds meant for development of their state to his own franchise.

To hell with all these jokers

Mr man u re like seriously losing ur mind, the chairman that was arrested is he from Anambra, is he even from any of the south eastern states? U really need an urgent psychiatric attention, u tribalistic bigot

Freeking vagrants. This is what you get when you allow too many ingrates to the dining table.

Go to ur papa house abi na by force? hausa no good but u can,t live in ur papa house? yoruba are traitor yet u still runing to the west every day? Arrange ur papa house make it look like a better place. bunch of hmmmm...
*some text missing*

sneezeemek:
Mr man u re like seriously losing ur mind, the chairman that was arrested is he from Anambra, is he even from any of the south eastern states? U really need an urgent psychiatric attention, u tribalistic bigot

Here goes one of the goon on the loose again. Who needs psychiatric attention, is it i or your brothers who fail to understand that they are to hold their leaders responsible for all insults they have received and not the lagos state governor?

I think you and your people have caused more insults on Nigeria enough as we have your brothers in jail in virtually all countries in the world except for Tahiti.
You need to check yourself

Mods, pls do d ryte thng nd close dis useless thread. Dis deportation rubbish is being blown out of proportion, we are tired of dis rubbish.

Only in nigeria. . .

sneezeemek:
Mr man u re like seriously losing ur mind, the chairman that was arrested is he from Anambra, is he even from any of the south eastern states? U really need an urgent psychiatric attention, u tribalistic bigot

LETTER FROM LT.COL. OJUKWU TO LT. COL.BANJO
22nd AUGUST 1967



From: The Military Governor,

Republic of Biafra Enugu,



22nd August, 1967.



My dear Victor,



1. For some time now, you and I have been discussing the circumstances that have led to the current and inevitable disintegration of what was the Federation of Nigeria. We have been fully convinced that the aim of the Hausa/Fulani complex has ever been, and will ever remain, the total domination of every other part of what was known as the Federation of Nigeria. It is impossible to forget that the crisis which led to the army take over in January 1966, the coup of the Northern soldiers led by Gowon in July 1966, the wholesale and indiscriminate massacre of the people of what is now Biafra- and, to a less degree, the people of the Mid-West and West, including the Yorubas, were all the direct result of Hausa/Fulani attempt to subjugate and use as tools, the gallant people of Western Nigeria namely the Yorubas. We do not need to remind ourselves of the heavy losses in life and property suffered by the Yoruba people in their fight for justice and freedom during 1965.



2. Sharing.our belief that the people of Yorubaland have a right to live a life of equality and self-respect and justice free of domination and dictatorship from any quarter, you have both identified with the cause of the Biafra struggle for survival and expressed your determination to see the people of Yorubaland freed from Hausa/Fulani domination.

We, the people of Biafra, for our part are willing and have decided to give you and the people of Yorubaland every assistance to achieve your aim.



3. After clearing the whole question with my Executive Council, I, as the Commander in Chief of the Biafran Armed Forces, have decided to place at your disposal Biafran forces, for the liberation of

Yorubaland on the following clear conditions:-



(i) You will have nothing to do with the Military Administrator in the Mid-West Territory during your sojourn there prior to your move to the West.

(ii) The willingness and preparedness of Biafra to assist any part of the former Federation of Nigeria wishing and willing to liberate itself from the Hausa/Fulani domination, does not in anyway whatever

imply any inclination on her part to compromise her sovereignty or preserve what remains of the defunct Federation of Nigeria. In other words, our sovereignty and break with Nigeria is irrevocable. Nothing must, therefore be said or done by you or any member of the Liberation Army to give a contrary impression.

(iii) Biafra is determined to maintain and safeguard her sovereignty and ensure that her integrity and safety are never again threatened.

(iv) Biafran troops will, after the liberation of the Yorubaland, remain in that territory only for as long as we in Biafra consider it necessary for the Yorubas to consolidate their position and sovereignty against any external threat.

(v) On the liberation of the Yorubaland, you will be appointed as the Military Governor of that territory.

(vi) The liberation of Western Nigeria will be a prelude to the liberation of all Yorubas up to the River Niger and the severance of all connections between the West and the North at Jebba.

(vii) During the period of Biafrans troops’ presence in your territory, all political measures, statements or decrees shall be subject to the approval, in writing by myself or on my authority.

(viii) Should our troops arrive and liberate Lagos, the government of the Republic of Biafra reserves the right to appoint a Military administrator for the territory. Such an Administrator will remain in office until a merger of that territory with Yorubaland is effected by Biafran troops.

(ix) As soon as possible after your appointment as the Military Governor of Western Nigeria and separation of that territory from Nigeria, you and I must meet to discuss:

(a) the duration of stay of Biafran troops in your territory;

(b) the areas and subjects of cooperation between the liberated sovereign states of Western Nigeria, or by what name it may call itself, and Biafra.



4. I do not need to remind you that Biafra regards all Yoruba as friends. As such everything should be done, to ensure the minimum force and loss of life are involved in achieving the objective of liberation.



5. It is essential, in order to avoid misunderstanding or confusion, that all subsequent requests for support be formally made to me by you in writing.



6. Will you please signify in writing, your acceptance of the above conditions so that you may leave for Western Nigeria and lead the army of liberation.




Yours very sincerely,



signed Lt. Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu,



Military Governor and Commander in Chief of Biafran Armed Forces

dayokanu, why are hiding under kunlekunle to post? Dat letter is stale nd 1967 is gone forever, dis is 2013.

Demdem: Rubbish. As if anything is wrong in lagos uniting those destitutes and nonentities with their families.

U mean to tell me that out of all those sections of d constitution quoted in d post, U still could'nt 'see' anything wrong wit deportin d 'destitutes n nonentities' as u call them, UR IQ MUST REALLY HV A MINUS B4 IT!

dem wan use d money go develop east?

[size=15pt] [/size]

Thieves....

Any ultimatum?

Chomzy19: U mean to tell me that out of all those sections of d constitution quoted in d post, U still could'nt 'see' anything wrong wit deportin d 'destitutes n nonentities' as u call them, UR IQ MUST REALLY HV A MINUS B4 IT!

where were you when boko haram dey kill your brothers.

Ewoooo

#500 billion compensation for deportation, from lagos state

#50 compensation for ezu river, from FG

#5 compensation for the killing of igbo people by boko haram from FG

Demdem: Rubbish. As if anything is wrong in lagos uniting those destitutes and nonentities with their families.

Those u call daft nd nonentity,mind u, u might not be better off than them.they re the victim of wicked governance today,who knows wat tomorrow will bring for us! U as a person(Demdem) I dnt knw if u re from lagos state bcus every yoruba man claim to hail from lagos...but if u do come from lagos is it ur plan to spend ur entire life in lagos?tomorro u might vist anoda man's land nd receive equal treatment,,read mathew 7:2.if u have the time

@ post,



Ultimatums failed to work, so they went to ransom. Ibos need money to go open restaurants in Ghana and claim ownership of Kumasi.

Kalu still dey talk? Time is running out on his 14days grace to pay tax. Let me see, 6 days left!