Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN and another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Joy N. Ezeilo has described the deportation of Osun State indigenes by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos Sttate as both a violation of human rights and a morally reprehensible action that must be reversed.
Reacting to the development on Thursday, Falana said “317 Nigerian citizens of Osun state origin were rounded up in several parts of Lagos state and loaded into several luxury buses, which drove them to Osun state”.
He described the deportation as illegal, adding that since the Lagos government and police have denied involvement in the deportation, Sanwo-Olu should ensure that the deportees are brought back to the state.
“It is indisputable that the deportation of the so-called miscreants violated their fundamental right to freedom of movement, guaranteed by section 41 of the constitution,” Falana said.
“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.
“Since the deportation of the 317 citizens was not authorised by the Lagos state government, governor Sanwo-Olu 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.”
In a post on X, Ezeilo, a former Dean Faculty of Law, UNN and ex- UN Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking said: “Deporting Nigerian citizens within the country’s borders is morally reprehensible and illegal.
“It violates their right to move and reside freely in Nigeria and could be used to target specific ethnic or vulnerable groups. This cruel act cannot be justified. The government should instead focus on assisting marginalized communities and holding offenders accountable for their actions.
“Addendum: Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended states that: “ Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereto or exit therefrom…”
On Saturday, there were reports that the Lagos government deported some residents who are Osun indigenes.
In a post on X, Oluwaseyi Adeniyi, spokesperson of Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, confirmed that five luxurious buses were used to transport the people to Osun state.
Subsequently, Adeleke directed an immediate investigation into the alleged deportation.
The governor said Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, expressed shock over the development and promised to take urgent action when he raised the matter with him.
