7th May, 2024
The Lagos State Government has confirmed that it deported some people to Osun and other states on their request to be helped to go back home.
There have been furore over over deportation of Osun State indigenes by the state government at the weekend, with Osun Governor, Ademola Adeleke expressing anger over the incident.
Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Information and Strategy when asked to respond to the accusation that Lagos deported people to Osun, referred PM NEWS to an earlier statement he issued late Sunday, saying that is the position of the Lagos State Government.
In the statement, Omotoso said 450 miscreants were rescued at the weekend and that out of the lot, 371 people pleaded for assistance to relocate to their various states due to the hardship they were facing in Lagos.
The statement reads: “The Statewide exercise to free Lagos of visible security risks has continued after the arrest of some suspects under the Dolphin Estate bridge.
“The ceaseless influx of miscreants, beggars, and the destitute onto Lagos streets has raised fears of insecurity of lives and property. This is unacceptable.
“As part of the exercise, 450 miscreants were at the weekend rescued. Of the lot, 371 pleaded for assistance to relocate to their various states due to the hardship they are facing in Lagos; 79 have been absorbed into some government facilities for rehabilitation after showing signs of being unwell.
“The exercise will continue as part of the government’s responsibility to keep our citizens safe and secure.”
PM NEWS can deduce from the statement that some of the 371 people rescued were relocated to Osun on their request.
Reports on Saturday indicated that several luxury buses dropped hundreds of youths at Ilesa, Osun after they were rounded up in several parts of Lagos State.
Governor Ademola Adeleke said he interfaced with his counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu over the alleged deportation of Osun indigenes from Lagos to the Ilesa area of Osun State.
Adeleke had said an investigation team it set up confirmed the veracity of the story, adding that the investigative team reported that eye witness accounts confirmed the dropping of the youths in several luxurious buses by a team suspected to be from Lagos State.
The state’s report showed that the youths were systematically dropped at Ilesa-Akure Express junction, Breweries; Ilesa – Ibodi – Iginla to Ife Express junction; Osun Ankara Express junction; Imelu Express junction; and Iperindo Express junction.