We Only Deported 14, Not 67 Destitutes To Anambra - Gov.Fashola

As the controversy surrounding the alleged 'deportation' of beggars and destitute people to Anambra State continues to rage, the Lagos State governor, Friday, stated that only 14 people were sent home to their families.

Governor Babatunde Fashola, the Lagos State governor, noted that the state's "humanitarian gesture" had been misunderstood or manipulated to create misunderstanding.

"The facts are that 14, not 70 or 72 destitutes were picked up on the streets of Lagos as part of a continuous exercise to assist vulnerable citizens who roam our streets without food, or shelter and a number who have medical ailments, usually in the nature of mental infirmity," said Mr. Fashola.

The Lagos State governor said that the destitute people themselves disclosed that they were from Anambra and sought assistance to go home.

"It remains unclear to me why the Governor of Anambra chose the media as the first place of complaint if he was truly aggrieved," Mr. Fashola said.

"He has not called me as he has done in the past on less important matters, and I have not received any letter from him," he added.

Following the accusations and counter accusations trailing the destitute people's repatriation, Peter Obi, the Anambra State governor, wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan describing the action as "cruel."

Mr. Obi's strongly worded letter to the president threatened to retaliate the Lagos government's "dumping of 72 persons" in the state.

Mr. Fashola said that the Anambra governor was economical with the truth, insisting that the figure was only 14 persons.

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