Human rights advocate Femi Falana has insisted that the 317 individuals deported from Lagos State to Osun State should be returned to Lagos, emphasizing their right to movement within Nigeria.
In a statement on Thursday, Falana highlighted the plight of these individuals who were forcibly transported to Osun State.
Last weekend, 317 Nigerian citizens from Osun State were rounded up in various locations across Lagos State and transported via luxury buses to Osun State. They were dropped off at different locations within Osun State, including Ilesa-Akure Express junction, Breweries; Ilesa – Ibodi – Iginla to Ife Express junction; Osun Ankara Express junction; Imelu Express junction; and Iperindo Express junction.
The Lagos State Police Command defended the actions, stating that routine raids on black spots are conducted to prevent and detect crime. They assured that only those found culpable are arraigned in court after a thorough screening.
The Lagos State Government claimed that 450 individuals were rescued, with 371 requesting assistance to relocate to their home states due to hardships in Lagos. Seventy-nine were reportedly admitted to government facilities for rehabilitation due to health concerns.
Contrary to the government’s narrative, Falana asserted that those deported were forcefully taken from Lagos against their will.
He argued that this action violated their constitutional right to freedom of movement, as guaranteed by Section 41 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Referencing a legal precedent (Federal Minister of Internal Affairs and Others VS Shugaba Abdulrrahaman Darman 1(982) 3 NCLR 915), Falana pointed out that Nigerian citizens cannot be expelled from the country without due process. The court’s decision in this case upheld the return of an individual illegally deported to Chad.
READ ALSO: Senate Approves Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers in 2024 NDLEA Act Amendment
Falana’s demand for the relocation of the deported individuals to Lagos underscores his commitment to upholding constitutional rights and ensuring accountability in governance.
He stated, “The illegal deportation also contravened article 12(5) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act which has prohibited mass expulsion that targets national, racial, ethnic or religious groups.
“In Anudo Ochieng Anudo v United Republic of Tanzania (2018) 2 AfCLR 248 para 100, the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights declared that “a state can not turn a citizen into a foreigner for the sole purpose of expelling him.”
“Since the deportation of the 317 citizens was not authorised by the Lagos State Government, Governor Sanwoolu should ensure that they are brought back to Lagos State as soon as possible.
“The Osun State Governor, Mr. Ademola Adeleke, who has protested on behalf of the deportees, should contribute to their resettlement in Lagos State. Furthermore, the officials of the Lagos State Government who carried out the illegal deportation of the 317 citizens should be brought to book to prevent them from further expelling other poor people from Lagos State,” he stated.
Falana, the Chair, Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB), added, “The said officials should be made to realise that the poor and the rich have equal rights to breathe the air of freedom in Lagos State and other parts of Nigeria.”
