We’re responding to deportees’ court cases – Lagos govt

Lagos State Government, yesterday,
said she is responding appropriately to the N1billion and N20 million suits against it by some of the Igbo indigenes deported out of the state to Onitisha, Anambra State in July 2013, adding that it had begun preparations toward the challenge in court.

Seven of the deportees, namely, Joseph
Aniebonam, Osondu Mbuto, Osondu Agwu, Nnenna
Ogbonna, Emily Okoroariri, Friday Ndukwe and
Onyeka Ugwu sued on behalf of others, the
Attorney-General, AG, of Lagos State and the
Commissioner of Police and Lagos State
Government to the tune of N1 billion.

Two other applicants namely: Osondu Agwuogo
and Dandy Eze, through their counsel, Lekan
Odunsi and Associates, sued the Executive
Governor of Lagos State, AG and Commissioner
for Justice as respondents for a N10 million
each over damages they incurred through the
illegal, forceful removal from Lagos State and infringement of fundamental right to freedom of movement.

The state Attorney- General and Commissioner
for Justice, Ade Ipaye, while speaking with
Vanguard on the suits, said the government was not moved by the suits as it would
appropriately respond to the challenge.

Ipaye, confirmed that the state government had been served the court papers as government was ready to meet them in the court.

He, however, stressed that the suit could
either be politically motivated or not,
insisting that government was responding to it appropriately.

He explained: "We are not moved by the N1
billion suit. The suit could be politically
motivated or not. We are going to respond to
it as we have been served the court papers."
Ipaye, also, added that the decision to
transport the affected persons to their home
state was based on their request after due
consultation with their state of origin.

In his own reaction, the State Publicity
Secretary, All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said: "We will meet them in
court," noting that the suit was politically
motivated as those deported could not have
garnered the power to sue the government.

According to Igbokwe, those behind the lawsuit should also sue Peter Obi for deporting several Igbo indigenes in his state to Ebonyi State in 2011, and accused the Anambra State Government of drumming up the issue because of the coming election.

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