No fewer than 800 people from Ebonyi State who were stranded in Lagos after the State Government demolished their homes at Ilaje village in the metropolis have been successfully repatriated to Ebonyi State capital, Abakaliki.
The returnees, mostly women and children, who arrived in batches in an exercise that lasted days thanked Governor Francis Nwifuru for answering their SOS call.
AIT’s Correspondent in Abakaliki captured the painful, agonising and frustrated looks on the faces of citizens deep in thoughts of starting life all over.
They are among over 1,200 Ebonyi indigenes affected by the action of the Lagos State government.
Some of them spoke to AIT on their bitter experiences, narrating how their business wares and properties were allegedly looted in the unexpected demolition exercise.
Sunday Njoku, who told AIT that he had stayed in Lagos for over 25 years before the turn of events, commended Ebonyi State Government for coming to their rescue in the heat of no shelter and way forward in their lives.
He begged the Governor to help them start life again with financial aid so they can return their children to school and start up businesses.
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The Commissioner for Special duties, and the Focal Person, Ebonyi State Diaspora Office, Valentine Okike-Uzo who coordinated the successful repatriation exercise, confirmed that about 800 people from the State were willing to return home following assurances from the government.
Okike-Uzo noted that Ebonyi people were not the only ones affected by the demolition of the Lagos slump, praising the proactive action of the State government in responding to the humanitarian crisis.
Reports from officials indicate that some other hundreds of affected persons in the demolition incident may not have agreed to return to Ebonyi State for fear of starting life all over in the villages.
(Editor: Okechukwu Eze)
