‘Deportation’ of beggars: All states are guilty, says Falana

Lagos lawyer Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has described the ‘deportation’ of beggars by some states as “illegal”.
Falana spoke with reporters at the weekend, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
He said the ‘deportation’ was contrary to the provisions of the Constitution, which “states that Nigerians can choose to live in any part of the country”.
Describing it as worrisome, Falana said virtually all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were guilty of this offence.
He said: “It will be wrong to restrict the condemnation of illegal ‘deportation’ to Lagos State because many other states are into this barbaric act. The ‘deportation’ of some beggars by the Lagos State Government to Anambra State is illegal. It is against the constitution.
“But the Anambra State that is kicking against it “deported” 29 beggars to Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi states in December, 2011, so hypocrisy is at work. Rivers State ‘deported’ 113 Nigerians to their different states. Akwa Ibom State is about to ‘deport’ two mentally-challenged men to Lagos State. How did they know that the mentally-challenged men are from Lagos State? The FCT is the guiltiest of them all.”
Rather than ‘deport’ Nigerians from one state to the other, Falana urged all tiers of government to address disparities in income, which he said has turned many hard working citizens to beggars.