The Lagos State Government has called on
the federal government to prevail on its agencies, the Ministry of Internal
Affairs and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), to take up their statutory
responsibilities by relocating the 199 illegal immigrants, currently camped at
the Lagos Emergency Resettlement Centres (ERCs) in Igando, Alimosho Local
Government Area and Agbowa, Ikorodu back to their country.
The Secretary to the State
Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, stated that the state government can no longer
continue to accommodate these illegal immigrants, due to the enormous pressure
put on the ERCs at Igando and Agbowa facilities.
Bello explained that the Togolese
nationals were first sighted at Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, directly in front of the
United Nations Refugees office.
He added that immediately the governor,
Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, was informed of their illegal presence at the location,
he promptly directed that the relevant state agency should take up
responsibility of accommodating them, initially at the Emergency Relief Camp
(ERC) in Igando and later at its camp in Agbowa Ikorodu.
Bello further explained that the
governor also directed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and the NIS should be notified, a directive that was
immediately carried out.
Investigations by the state according to
Bello revealed that these Togolese immigrants were expelled from Benin Republic
where they had lived for over 10 years.
He said the state had discovered that
many of them smuggled their ways through the Nigerian borders.
Bello warned that the state’s
magnanimous hospitality to Nigerian residents and other lawful inhabitants in
distress should not be abused or over-stretched, as the ERC was built to
accommodate Lagosians and Nigerian residents, not illegal immigrants, during
emergencies and period of disasters.
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