Igbo Deportees Sue Lagos State Government For N1b, Demand Apology On National Newspapers For 30 Days

The 76 destitute people, 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.

7 of the deportees - Joseph Aniebonam, Osondu Mbuto, Osondu Agwu, Nnenna
Ogbonna, Emily Okoroariri, Friday Ndukwe and Onyeka Ugwu filed the N1billion
suit 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.

The victims want the court to declare that their deportation from Lagos State of
Nigeria to Anambra State of Nigeria on July 24, amounted to a gross violation of
their rights and a breach of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

To declare that they, as Nigerian citizens are entitled to the enjoyment of their
fundamental rights, that their arrest and detention in various camps, Oshodi
rehabilitation centre, police cells and prisons, 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, adding that such an action was illegal, null, void and
unlawful.

They noted that the court should mandate the first respondent to re-absorb and
accommodate the applicants within Lagos State of Nigeria since they are Nigerian
citizens and are entitled to reside in any part of Nigeria, including Lagos State and
stop them from further deportation.
The victims also want the respondents to tender a written apology to them by
publishing the apology in the following newspapers: THISDAY, Vanguard and Daily
Sun continuously for 30 days, from the date of the first publication, for unlawful
and gross violation of their constitutional rights.

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 is justified in law, in view of the supreme provisions of
the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, adding that if the issue is resolved in the negative
and against the respondents, the applicants are entitled to the reliefs sought.

The hearing, which will be presided over by Justice Anumogobia, is set to begin on
January 29, 2014.