While speaking, the President of a Non-governmental Organization, Hassan Jubril Disable Organization and spokesperson of the beggars, Alhaji, Jubril Hassan, said that the government was wrong to have dragged the beggars away from the streets where they enjoy their 'social right', adding that it was illegal to deny them of their fundamental freedom of movement.
He said: "We, the people with physical disabilities in Lagos State, adopt this medium to express our displeasure and unhappiness towards the actions taken and the one to be taken by the Lagos State government. First, our movement within Lagos State metropolis has been restricted such that anyone caught roaming on the road will be taken to Majidun prison.
"In most cases, all our belongings have been seized from us and we were also maltreated by the management. The condition of the prison is appalling and devastating that it causes more harm to our health. It has come to our notice that very soon anybody found giving us alms will be apprehended and imprisoned for two years".
He, therefore, appealed to the government to rescind its decision of denying the beggars their right to move freely within the state, adding the policy might aggravate their suffering than alleviating it.
"Though, government had relocated us to Ikorodu, the place is not conducive for us as we can no longer go the way we like. The place also denies us of their social justice. It is on this note that we are calling on the media houses, journalists, NGOs, human rights activists and individuals to come to our aid and at the same time appealing to the government for a better provision", he added.
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