Ilaje demolition: Nwifuru evacuates 800 Ebonyi indigenes from Lagos

Ebonyi State government has evacuated about 800 Ebonyi indigenes following the demolition of some parts of Ilaje by Lagos State government. Addressing journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, the Commissioner for Special Duties and Diaspora, Valentine Okeke said most of those stranded were women and children.

He stated that before their return, they were sleeping under the bridge since the sad incident occurred in Ilaje Lagos state. He explained that the state governor, when he was informed officially about the incident, ordered that he should go and bring them back to the state and that was exactly what he did.

Okeke stated that the demolition did not only affect Ebonyi indigenes, people from other states were affected, adding that it was only Ebonyi State government that took that proactive measure to bring its people back home.

He said the state government is profiling those affected to see how they will be assisted to start a new life, stressing that the Governor cannot bring them back and leave them to suffer.

“It was an eyesore seeing small children below three or four years old living in an open place under the bridge. If you see the clips, you will know that these people are going through a kind of hardship. It was on that basis that the governor said that I will not allow my people to suffer.

“I am sure that the governor in his usual way must do something for his people. He cannot bring them back to suffer. That is why we are trying to profile them.

“Those people whose houses and businesses were destroyed are the people that called the attention of the government and those are the people we are working with. So the data will be provided after proper and thorough scrutiny,” he said.