THE 76 destitute persons, who were
deported by the Lagos State Government and dumped on the Upper Iweka Bridge,
Onitsha, Anambra State on July 24, 2013, have dragged the Lagos State
Government to a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
The suit was filed by seven of the
deportees: Nnenna Ogbonna, Joseph Aniebonam, Osondu Mbuto, Osondu Agwu, Emily
Okoroariri, Friday Ndukwe and Onyeka Ugwu as the applicants, on behalf of the
76 others, while the Attorney-General of Lagos State and the Commissioner of
Police, Lagos State are the respondents.
In the motion filed by their lawyer,
Ugo Ugwunnadi, the applicants asked the court to declare that they, as Nigerian
citizens were entitled to the enjoyment of their fundamental rights as provided
for in Sections 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41 and 42 of the 1999 constitution, as
amended.
The applicants are also seeking a
perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, workers and
officers from their further deportation or refusing them free entry into Lagos
and free exit there from, as well as an order mandating the respondents to
tender a written apology to them by publishing the apology in three national
newspapers continuously for 30 days, from the date of the first publication,
for unlawful and gross violation of their constitutional rights.
The deportees are also seeking a
declaration of the court that their arrest and detention in various camps
within Lagos state for no offence known to law and without trial and conviction
by a court of competent jurisdiction, amounted to a serious breach of their
rights as provided for in the relevant sections of the constitution.
The suit was brought as a motion on
notice pursuant to Order 11, Rule 1&2 of the Fundamental Rights
(Enforcement Procedure Rules), 2009, Sections 34 (1) (A), 35, 40, 45 (1), 42
(1), 46 (1) and 6 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended; Articles 5, 6 and
12 of African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
They also sought an order of
the court to declare that their deportation from Lagos State to Anambra State
on July 24, amounted to a gross violation of their rights and a breach of the
provisions of the 1999 constitution, as amended, adding that the court should
mandate the first respondent to re-absorb and accommodate the applicants within
Lagos State since they were Nigerian citizens and were entitled to reside in
any part of the country including Lagos State.
Also, the applicants noted that
the issue for determination is whether the action of the respondents in
arresting, detaining and their subsequent deportation from Lagos to Onitsha,
Anambra state was justified in law, in view of the supreme provisions of the
1999 constitution of Nigeria.
The hearing, which will be presided
over by Justice Anumogobia, is set to begin on January 29, 2014.
Una no get work,if una see that type of money for una life will u ever think of coming to Lagos to stay?na now una wan make money from fashola abi?eye go soon clear all of una,igbo people with their greedy attitude.
ReplyDelete1s comment, I tnk u have memory laps? Are u a nigerian? If u're u can't open ur filthy mouth nd said dat nonsense
ReplyDeleteLAGOS is not a dumping ground for beggars and lazy people,so; we av more than million of ibos living in LAGOS and those deportees av nothing to offer LAGOS than their trickish IBO senses of claiming one billion Naira ,ole.
ReplyDeletelagos is not for beggars and lazy ppl...so who come be beggars and who lazy pass for lagos? we all knw our owanbe brodas are d lazy ppl in lag...
ReplyDeleteTheir moves is a step in the right direction,am happy the know their right as enshrined in the Nigeria constitution.Its not enough tendering a verbal 'SORRY' but a restitution will serve better,these guys were treated with disdane and less than a human treatment,
ReplyDeleteFashola deamed it necessory to appologise because his actions is causing Ngige and APC the governorship in Anambara election.the Igbos must show their displeasure to Fashola action not only in Anambara election but in general elections come 2015.i dont know how to reach the deportees, i will be willing to pay every money needed to pursue the case to logical end 08055119977
U̶̲̥̅̊ get moni?go sit down plan ur life.una go just like trouble pass food.nor be igbo guys get lagos market?y den nor fit help their pple. Abi dey wan tell us say dey nor first hear say govnmt arrest deir pple b4?na dey have brought den home their should take care of den,if dis guys was brought frm oversea una for go sue dey?d govnor don abeg una. Una nor go rest..mk I tell una say 1 kobo una nor go see,,,mk una dey allow one small lawyer dey dissive una..mk una go sit plan una life..
ReplyDeleteBy his being sorrow,the case is won already,He has realised his mistakes and must be made to pay for it,what is fashola sorry for ? If i may ask
DeleteAs far as. D constitution is concerned d governor swore to uphold it! Y will he be so rectless to 4get right of all citizens! Pls 4 God sake it is abslutely wrong! Constitutionally defective! There is no maga-city on the world U don't have destitute or less privilage! In short we have more of d so called Omonile 99% walking about harrasing people in the state!
ReplyDeleteYou must be hopeless to describe the igbos that way because they are Nigerians like all of and have the absolute right to enjoy their fundamental human rights as Nigerians in Nigeria. What is Lagos government going to do to the Yorubas in Lagos that are commuting nuisance? As far as i'm concern,the Anambra state governor should know that he was insulted by Lagos state who took laws into their hands to choosing Anambra state as a dumping ground.
ReplyDelete