6years after invasion, community wants JTF investigated

By: Omonigho Matthew
From: Udu

Members of the Ogodobiri Community Development Concern Forum, OCDCF in Bomadi local government have called on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, the Senate President, David Mark and other stakeholders to set up a committee to investigate the invasion carried out by the Joint Task force led by Brigadier Elias Zamani June 11, 2004.

According to the members, some military personnel invaded their community while chasing some sea pirates from their camp in the Warri axis, but in the process the sea pirates ran into their community to hide. He explained that the community chairman and his executive tried to chase them away but due to the boys’ superior fire power, they intimidated the chairman and his executive, including the peace loving villagers. They said to their surprise the JTF on arrival in their community had a gun duel with the sea pirates which led to destruction/invasion of houses in which innocent persons where killed. He noted that after sea pirates had left the community, they were arrested in Port Harcourt the following week and was published on Tell Magazine of 14 June, 2004.

They also pointed out that Brigadier General Elias Zamani in his response on the 13 June 2004 admitted that his troop raided an Ijaw village (Ogodobiri Community) in Bomadi local government area of Delta State in search of weapons used by sea pirates and other criminal gangs, but failed to explained why the houses of innocent people were burnt down for three days even though he also agreed that six people were killed, including soldier.

The members of the Ogodobiri Community Development Concern Forum presented their issue at the complaints session of human rights legal clinic organized by the forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence held recently at the Oza hall of Peabody hotels kilometre 2, DSC-Expressway. They claimed that since the invasion of the community, life has been unbearable to the inhabitants as hundreds of houses destroyed have not been rebuilt till now, noting that over 13,000 people have been rendered homeless. The future of Ogodobiri children is now blink as most of them can no longer further their education since the invasion, claiming that their children are experiencing strange illnesses due to lack of medical care as the community health centre, maternity, primary and secondary school buildings were not spared in the invasion. They added that they cannot account for the actual number of people killed due to the incident.

They are demanding that the JTF make a public apology to the community in three different national newspapers and appealed to the relevant authorities to rebuilt the burnt houses and pay compensation to those affected.

Pastor F.G. Okpe, President, Mr. Overy .A.F, Secretary and Elder Maxwell Arckumor signed on behalf of the Ogodobiri Community Development Concern Forum.