Indigenes of Odi community in Kolokuma-Opokuma local
government area of Bayelsa State yesterday took their protest
to the East-West road causing serious gridlock on the busy
route over the federal government refusal to pay the sum of
N37.6 billion compensation as directed by the court for the
destruction of their community.
The protesters made up of the community youths, old women
and men were armed with placards highlighting their plight and
recalling the atrocities meted to their defenceless population by
the Nigerian military over a decade ago.
Saturday Vanguard learnt that the protest was also to
commemorate the 13th anniversary of the military invasion
which left Odi, one of the biggest communities in Ijawland in
rubles in the wake of the killing of some policemen by some
hoodlums.
The indigenes of the community said they were forced to take
their protest to the busy federal highway which straddled the
states of the South South zone due to the continued refusal
of the federal government to obey the court order to pay their
community the sum of N37.6bn for the injustice visited on its
population by the Nigerian military.
It took the intervention of the police to prevail on the
protesters to vacate the busy road and returned to their
community where a memorial service was held to commemorate
the destruction/genocide unleashed on Odi.
Spokesman of Odi community, Lt Commander Koku Imananagha
(rtd), warned that they might be forced to take their case to
the international community if their appeal to the federal
government to pay them as directed by the court failed to yield
result.
Speaking on the long drawn legal battle which went in favour of
his community, he said, it was their resolve from the beginning
to take the path of justice in pursuit of this matter through the
courts of the land even though it was a clear case of total
destruction/genocide against Odi by federal government.
He said, “So, it was a big surprise to see a Human Right abuse
case in this 21st millennium dragging for 14 years. Eventually,
19th February, 2013 the Federal High Court Port Harcourt
presided over by Justice Lambo Akanbi in a substantive suit
awarded Odi community the sum of N37.616,871,000 only as
compensation for the destruction of Odi to be paid within 21
days.
Despite the Inge road to this victory the federal government
and the Central Bank of Nigerian instead of taking the path of
glory to put smiles on the faces of the long traumatized people
of Odi, chose to take us through further legal battle.”
According to him, on March 12, 2013 the Federal High Court
Port Harcourt still presided over by Justice Lambo Akanbi
turned down a stay of execution filed by the Attorney General
of the judgement sum without further delay to the law abiding
citizens of Odi.
“Furthermore on 14th May, 2013, the Federal Appeal Court in
Port Harcourt presided over by Justice Ejembi Eko granted the
withdrawal application by the AGF for an out of court
settlement with Odi community, for which the AGF did nothing
thereafter.
“Consequently, on the 31st May, 2013, the Federal High Court,
Port Harcourt, gave a Garnishee a order Nisi compelling the
garnishee (Central Bank of Nigeria) to pay the judgment
Creditor/Applicant (Odi) the sum of N37,616,871,000. The
Garnishee Order Nisi had a mandatory 17 days life span which
gives the Federal Government yet another room to conclude the
out of court settlement with Odi Community. This failed
because of the inaction of the AGF.
“Finally, on 17th June 2013, the Federal High Court Judge
Justice Lambo Akanbi pronounced as follows: That Garnishee
Order Nisi is hereby made absolute directing the Garnishee
(Central Bank of Nigeria) to pay the judgement sum of
N37,616,871,000 which is judgement debt owed the Applicants
by the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as
epitomized by the judgment debtors.
“Accordingly, in view of the sequence of legal successes in our
favour and inaction of the federal government to pay the
judgement sum, the good people of Odi are now appealing to the a human rights organizations, NGOs, the press and all well
meaning individuals and groups to prevail on the federal
government of Nigeria to do the needful in accordance with the judgment of the courts without any further delay,” he said.


www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/odi-indigenes-barricade-east-west-road-fgs-refusal-pay-n37-6bn-compensation/