Sagay, Aturu, Fasehun differ on Lagos beggars’ deportation

August 7, 2013 by Ade Adesomoju and Sharon Oremichen

Two prominent legal practitioners, Prof. Itsay Sagay, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and civil rights lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, on Tuesday disagreed on the properiety of the recent alleged deportation of some beggars to Onitsha, Anambra State, by the Lagos State Government.

Both lawyers spoke separately with our correspondent on the telephone.

While Sagay said Nigerians needed to be sympathetic to Lagos State, which he said had served as other states’ dumping ground for destitute persons for many years, Aturu argued that the alleged deportation by the government was a violation of the Nigerian Constitution.

Sagay dismissed the allegation that the act could be unconstitutional.

He said, “Honestly, I feel very sympathetic to the plight of the Lagos State Government because the state has been the dumping ground for people who have problems in their own state. I think we should be sympathetic to Lagos State.

“I think people are unreasonable when they think Lagos can carry the burden of the whole country.”

However, Aturu said the Lagos State Government should apologise to Nigerians and pay restitution to the “deported persons”.

He said, “My view is that what Lagos State has done is indefensible and an atrocious violation of the constitution. It is an attack against the poor. It is a gross violation of the constitution. In fact, it is a gross violation of what is decent.”

Meanwhile, Chairman, Unity Party of Nigeria and President, Oodua Peoples Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, has said the Lagos State Government must retrace its steps in the ‘deportation’ of about 70 persons to Onitsha.

Fasehun, who said this at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday, said the state must provide a means for these persons to be transported back into Lagos.

http://www.punchng.com/news/sagay-aturu-fasehun-differ-on-lagos-beggars-deportation/

Bamidele should go to court and be floored same way he was when he represented Okada riders...

Oh my goodness, there are still scores of fearless and truthful people among the Yorubas.

Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Bamidele Aturu, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, ... still counting! God bless them all!!!

Prof Itsay Sagay's assertion is simply based on sentiment (sympathy). Imagine a SAN spewing such nonsense!!!

Opinion_Leader: Oh my goodness, there are still scores of fearless and truthful people among the Yorubas.

Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Bamidele Aturu, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, ... still counting! God bless them all!!!

Prof Itsay Sagay's assertion is simply based on sentiment (sympathy). Imagine a SAN spewing such nonsense!!!

Why have your fearless and truthful friends not gone to court already?? They're only taking stands to curry support from sentimental, clannish and tribalistic folks.

Bamidele tried with the Okada ban and got his sorry A55 whooped by Fashola in court.

Opinion_Leader: Oh my goodness, there are still scores of fearless and truthful people among the Yorubas.

Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Bamidele Aturu, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, ... still counting! God bless them all!!!

Prof Itsay Sagay's assertion is simply based on sentiment (sympathy). Imagine a SAN spewing such nonsense!!!

I know fashola had good intention but bad way of implementation and that was where he got it wrong.14 people were taken to anambra and not 72 after being rehabilitated by LASG.As for peter obi,he played politics with the matter and that is not good for him.Obi is very relevant in the politics of SE.as at today,unfortunately he has used the goodwill to his own advantage to project himself more than the ndigbo,people wud soon realise this . As for aturu and fasheun,they are both comedians,is it aturu who sees everything in a different perspective to other lawyers or fasheun who is inconsistent in his disposition towards matters (pipeline contract,al mustapha etc)that should be taken seriously? Fashola should apologize to the 14 destitutes for not handing them over to anambra govt.,it is inhumane for LASG to drop them under a bridge in onitsha while peter obi should apologize to fashola for trying to destroy his personality.