FCT Police to relocate 98 scavengers to home states, says Abuja not for everyone

The FCT Police Command has arrested 98 scavengers popularly called ‘Baban Bola’ in Nigerian parlance.

The police paraded the suspects whom they accused of stealing, on Monday.

They also said the suspects would be moved to their states of origin.

Deputy Police Commissioner, Ben Igwe, said some strange persons had been trooping into the nation’s capital, pointing out that the command was working towards sending away such personalities from Abuja.

“Abuja is not for everybody. We have asked them to go to where they are supposed to be.

“We are working towards clearing them from the FCT. We will keep doing that and we will not relent,” he said.

The commissioner said many items that are not to be scavenged were recovered from them.

“We have asked them to relocate. Many people have been trooping into the FCT, and some of them are coming with evil intentions. Whenever you see them, let us know.

“We are taking them to court to make sure that justice is given. We have a serious issue now because of threats from so many places.”

Illegality?

The action by the police could be a breach of Section 41 of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens’ freedom of movement.

That part of the document also says no citizen shall be expelled from Nigeria.

Reacting to the development, a legal practitioner, Abduljalil Musa, described the planned relocation as illegal.

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He said every Nigerian has the right to live and move around freely wherever he so wishes.

“The intended action of the FCT Police Command to deport arrested 98 scavengers to their various states of origin will be unconstitutional and a fundamental breach of the inalienable right of affected persons to free movement.

“Every Nigerian notwithstanding his station or standing in life is free to move around the country and live anywhere that suits him or her.

“This much has been well captured in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) particularly Chapter 4 Section 41 which provides thus “Right to freedom of movement. (1) Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereby or exit therefrom,” he said.