Veteran Nollywood actor, Jide Kosoko, on Thursday said there was nothing wrong with the alleged deportation of the destitute to their home state by the Lagos State Government.
Kosoko, a Lagos prince, stated that the government deported people who constituted a nuisance in the state to their home towns because the metropolis was becoming over populated.
He said, “I disagree with the people criticising the deportation. There are reasons for everything. Since there have been negotiations between Lagos and the state concerned and the government believes their home state would take better care of them, I think the action was appropriate.”
Kosoko said even though Nigerians were free to live anywhere in the country, people should not abuse the privilege by becoming a nuisance.
“We don’t need to shy away from the fact that Lagos is over-populated because of its commercial advantage. Anybody doing a legitimate work here is entitled to stay but a situation where they are turning themselves to a nuisance in the state and they would go as far as inviting others to come is not acceptable,” the actor stated.
He said when the okada business began, it started with skilled riders until some people took advantage of the business idea and started creating problems.
He stated that there were actually states with worse laws than Lagos, where people got their arms cut off because of crimes and such people saw Lagos as a place for greener pastures.
He noted that with the Lagos State government’s policy, the roads are safer.
Kosoko said that the action should not be restricted to Lagos.
“Let’s not deceive ourselves, look at the highways, are they not better? I am not speaking for the government but for myself. To me, whoever constitutes a nuisance in any state, not just Lagos, let them be sent back home.
“It is very unfortunate that we are in a multi-ethnic country; that is the major problem we are having. We find it difficult to say the truth,” he said.
