N1bn suit: See you in court – Lagos tells Onitsha deportees

THE Lagos State government confirmed yesterday that it would defend the N1 billion suit instituted against it over the deportation of 76 destitute to Anambra State on July 24, 2013.

The state's Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, made this known yesterday while speaking with journalists, noting that the state would definitely file papers in response.

He stated that the state government had made it clear since the crisis started that there was no deportation whatsoever and the claim that the figure of the repatriated destitute was up to 70 is fallacious.

'We will file papers in response, of course. It is now a bizarre fiction. I thought we had made it clear enough that there were not 70 destitute and there was no deportation. I look forward to seeing what case they will bring forward', he said.

The suit was filed at a Federal High Court in Lagos by seven of the deportees: Nnenna Ogbonna, Joseph Aniebonam, Osondu Mbuto, Osondu Agwu, Emily Okoroariri, Friday Ndukwe and Onyeka Ugwu on behalf of the 76 others.