No fewer than 800 Ebonyi indigenes in Ilaje Island, Lagos State, who were displaced and rendered homeless following recent demolitions by the Lagos State government, have been evacuated by the Ebonyi State government.
Lagos reportedly demolished structures considered illegal in Ilaje where many people from different states of the federation, including Ebonyi State were residing, leaving them stranded.
Governor Francis Nwifuru who was informed of the development, ordered the evacuation of Ebonyi people affected by the demolitions.
Last week, over 800 persons made up of children between ages of 3 and 4 years, men and women, were brought back to Ebonyi State, conveyed in several coast buses.
The focal person of Ebonyi people living in diaspora, Chief Valentine Okike, told journalists in Abakaliki on Monday – earlier today – that the displaced persons were living in open places, including under bridges, after the demolitions, thereby exposing them to danger which touched Governor Francis Nwifuru, who, then, ordered their immediate evacuation
Okike, the state Commissioner for Special Duties, said: “We were officially informed on Monday that Ebonyi people in Ilaje, Island Lagos were displaced and our Governor, Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru ordered that I should go and bring them back to our dear state. I went to Lagos and brought them back
“It was an eyesore seeing small children below 3, 4 years living in an open place, under the bridge. These people really went through hardship and it was on that basis that the Governor said no, I will not allow my people to continue to suffer and immediately mandated me to bring them back home.
“Buses were made available to bring them back home and their situation was terribly bad. I can authoritatively tell you that for those of them that wanted to come back, all of them are back home.
“It is not only Ebonyi people that their properties were demolished; there were other people from other states who were also affected by the demolition. But I can tell you that it is only Ebonyi State government that took that proactive measure by bringing them back home and I can understand what the Governor was trying to avoid because he believes in good governance”.
