The Odi massacre was an attack by the Nigerian armed forces on November 20, 1999 on the predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa State. The attack came in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Niger Delta over the rights of indegenous peoples to oil resources and environmental protection. It is estimated that more than 900 civilians were killed in this attack.
The massacre is believed to have been ordered by the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The army has often defended its actions, claiming it was ambushed on the way to Odi. This increased the tension before entering the village.
Before the massacre, the gang killed twelve members of the Nigerian police near Odi, seven on November 4 and the rest in the following days. In retaliation, the army decided to invade the village. However, the army reportedly set up an ambush near the village, increasing tensions. They foiled the ambush and engaged in a firefight with the village’s armed militias, who were allegedly taking advantage of the population. civil as cover. This and the provocation of the “ambush” led to an attack on the city’s civilian population and buildings. All buildings in the town, except the bank, the Anglican church and the health center, were completely burned down. All this happened during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
There are numerous estimates of the number of civilians killed. Human Rights Watch said that “soldiers certainly killed dozens of unarmed civilians and that a death toll of several hundred is quite possible.” Nnimmo Bassey, executive director of Environmental Rights Action, says nearly 2,500 civilians were killed. The government initially estimated the death toll at 43, including eight soldiers.
In February 2013, the Federal High Court ordered the Federal Government to pay US$37.6 billion in compensation to residents of Odi community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.The court ordered compensation to be paid within three weeks. In his judgment, Justice Lambi Akanbi of the Federal Supreme Court condemned the government for “the blatant violation of the victims’ fundamental human rights to move in their ancestral homes, live, own property and live in peace.”
The case resulted in the Goodluck Jonathan government paying $15 billion in an out-of-court settlement. According to Prof. Kobina Imananaghy (Chairperson, Odi Destruction Prosecution Commission (ODCPC)) “The London court has threatened to enforce the entire court judgment (payment of N37.6 billion) if the government does not negotiate a settlement by October 21, 2014 and Odi does not pay the agreed compensation. It was the appearance that forced the Federal Ministry of Justice and the heads of the legal team, ODCPC and King Odi, to the negotiating table on May 26, 2014 when the Federal Government made an offer of 15 billion naira to Odi (as a sole and final offer Payment). The government then paid the sum of US$15 billion, which led to further conflict within the community and the subsequent kidnapping of the committee’s chairman, Prof. Zibokere, who was later released.