Officials of the Lagos State government have been accused of invading Anambra state and dumping an estimated 70 people who were said to be homeless and/or beggars in the Centre of Excellence.
The destitute were reportedly dumped at the Upper Iweka Bridge, Onitsha, Anambra State. Those who were deported from Lagos said that they were first held in a detention camp in Ikorodu for six months where they received free meals and shelter.
One of the victims, Mr. Osondu Mbuto, from Ohaozara in Ebonyi State and a petty trader in Lagos, said he was arrested by the Lagos State Government officials while going to his shop on December 18, 2012.
Chairman of Nigeria Red Cross Society in the South-East, Dr. Peter Katchy described the actions of the Lagos officials as deplorable.
He said, “It’s very deplorable; it’s very disheartening that a state in the Federal Republic of Nigeria will bundle people, who are not even indigenes of Anambra State, and dump them under the flyover at Upper Iweka in Onitsha.
“Many of the people, we have interviewed are not indigenes of Anambra State. Some of them are from Ebonyi State; some are from Imo State among other states.
“It is an insult to Anambra State. We shall draw the attention of the governor of Anambra State to ask the reason for such an invasion of his territory.
“We will find out why Lagos State should invade Anambra State territory; and why Lagos State should dump people here and leave them helpless.
“We are here on humanitarian purposes and in response to an emergency. From what we discovered here, this is a human emergency and a human callousness.”