Odi community in Bayelsa sues FG for N20 billion (Only N20b?).

Posted by admin Bayelsa, Latest Politics, State News Saturday, January 19th, 2013

For the destruction and losses it suffered in 2000 when federal troops attacked it, Odi community in Kolokuma/Opokuma council area of Bayelsa State has sued the Federal Government, demanding N20 billion compensation and other reliefs.

Explaining the reason for the demands during a resumed hearing at the Federal High court, Port Harcourt, on Friday, counsels to the community, Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), Luscious Nwosu (SAN) and Rabana Lawal (SAN), said the people approached the court to correct a wrong done to their fundamental rights by the country in the past.

The community maintained that those killed during the invasion were simple community folks, including men and women, not militants as alleged for the reason of the invasion.

Briefing the court, one of the prosecuting counsels, Adedipe, said the position of the community that those killed in the Odi invasion were not militants was recently affirmed by President Goodluck Jonathan, who said he visited the community as deputy governor to assess the situation then.

According to him, those killed were responsible members of the community, adding that they, as a community, had the right to approach the court to seek the reliefs as they were doing in the ongoing matter.

He, however, pleaded with the court to dismiss the argument of the counsel to the first and fourth respondents, being the president and the Attorney General, respectively, claiming that those killed were militants, describing it as an after-thought.

Speaking at the court, counsel to the first and fourth respondents, Nkolika Awa Esq, said the case was being pursued wrongly as the court lacked the jurisdiction to try the matter.

She also noted that provisions were only made for individuals on matters of human rights and not community.

The court later adjourned to February 19th for further hearing.

Adedipe told journalists later that the community was praying the court to grant an order of mandatory injunction, directing the first to fourth respondents which include President and the Attorney General of the Federation to rebuild the community and rehabilitate its members, as well as pay N20 billion for the gross violation of their rights.

Via Tribunewp_posts