Obi, who was then the governor of Anambra State, described this action by his Lagos State colleague, Tunde Fashola, as "illegal, unconstitutional, and a blatant violation of the human rights of the deportees".
Obi, tí ó jẹ́ gómìnà ìpínlẹ̀ Anambra ní ìgbà náà, ṣàpèjúwe ìhùwàsí yìí tí akẹgbẹ́-ẹ ‘ẹ̀ Túndé Fáṣọlá ní ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó hù gẹ́gẹ́ bí "ohun tí kò bá òfin mu àti ìrúfin ẹ̀tọ́ ọmọnìyàn àwọn ẹni tí ó di èrò ìlúu wọn".