A Federal High Court, sitting in Port
Harcourt Tuesday ordered the Federal Government to pay N37.6b
compensation to the people of Odi community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local
Government Area of Bayelsa State over the invasion of their community by armed
soldiers during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Justice Lambi Akanbi of the Federal High Court,
Port Harcourt, who gave the order while delivering judgment in a N100 billion
suit filed by the people of Odi community against the Federal Government also
ordered that the compensation should be paid within three weeks.
They prayed the court to award them the amount as
damages for the destruction of lives and property in Odi. The judge however
awarded a total sum of N37.618 billion compensation in favour of the community
for the wanton destruction of the place by Nigeria soldiers.
The community asked for N17.618billion as general
damages and N20billion for special damages. They also demanded public apology
and the re-building of Odi community by the FG.
The Judge however granted two of their prayers
and rejected the other two.
Delivering the judgement; which lasted for two
hours, Akanbi held that the Federal Government was economical with the truth by
pleading in their counter affidavits that no inhabitant of the community was
killed apart from some armed militant youths who engaged the military in gun
battle; and that no property was destroyed by the soldiers.
Relying on various statements by the government,
National Assembly, and inscriptions left on the soils of Odi by the
Soldiers, as well as video clips on the invasion which was watched in the open
court at the January 17th, 2013 session, the judge described their claims
and counter affidavits ‘as worthless’.
Said he: “The destruction of Odi was comprehensive
and complete; no aspect of the community was spared by what I saw in the
pictures showed here. The respondents violated the fundamental Human Rights of
the People of Odi, by the massacre. The people are entitled to fundamental
rights to life, dignity and fair play, the destruction of Odi was not as a
result of gun battle but clear bombardment, the destruction was malicious.
The judge also quoted President Goodluck Jonathan
as saying in a media chat on the National Television Authority (NTA), on
November 18, 2010 that “only innocent people, including women, children and the
very weak that could not run escape were killed in Odi”.
According to him, the then Senate President, late
Chuka Okadigbo was also quoted to have said, the facts speaks for themselves,
no need to speak again, as there are nobody to speak.”
He equally reviewed the exhibit tendered quoting
the soldiers who carried out the destruction as saying “we go kill all
the Ijaw people with our guns, come to Odi and learn a lesson, Ijaw face,
Monkey face, Government has given us power to kill, Odi is for Soldiers not for
Ijaws, Bayelsa will remain sorrowful for ever.” among others.
The 1st and 2nd respondents (FG and Attorney
General of the Federation) were represented by Mrs. Nkoli Awa Esq. The 2nd and
3rd respondents (Minister of Defence and Chief of Defence staff), did not make
any formal appearance throughout the proceedings.
They however showed up yesterday, through one
Mallam Jimoh Abdukadreen Adamu, with an application to delay judgement until
they state their case.
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