WHY WE LEVELLED ODI COMMUNITY – DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS

Military authorities on Wednesday, explained that the Joint Task Force, Operation Restore Hope (JTF ORH), in the Niger Delta region, attacked the Odio-ama community in Bayelsa State three years ago, in self defence.

Pioneer Commander of ORH, Brigadier General Elias Zamani (rtd), who stated this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, said while two other communities, namely Obiaku and Ibedi, cooperated with the force during their operations, Odio-ama confronted its members.

Zamani’s appearance was sequel to a petition to the House by the Odio-ama community, which was sacked by the Joint Task Force in November 2005.

The community, in the petition signed by Ambrose Alfred and Theo Onu demanded N1 billion compensation.

According to Zamani, “Obiaku was cordoned without resistance, either from the community or suspected cult members. Consequently, our troops deployed without any problem. Similarly, Ibedi posed no threat to our troops.

“However, at Odio-ama, which was noted as a sanctuary for cult members, and centre of illegal bunkering, the story was different. In contrast with the peaceful entry into Obiaku and Ibedi, at Odio-ama, the deadly cult members laid in wait for the troops.

“They were fully aware of our coming and were prepared for armed confrontation against our men. The people knew we were coming, so, the cultists were in wait for us.

When our boys approached the jetty from the waterways, the cultists open fire, and you can imagine how precarious it would be for one to be on the open waters, with no place to take cover.

“What would you have done, if you find yourself in such a situation and you have weapons? That weapon is meant for self-defence and for the protection of law-abiding citizens, so the soldiers retaliated,” Zamani said.

The former ORH boss dismissed insinuations that the soldiers attacked the community as a result of an existing communal crises over oil, in the area, adding that the force merely came into the area to restore law and order, because the police had tried unsuccessfully to do so.

Zamani added that the impact of the operation was enormous because of the fuel products, which the people of the community had stored in their houses.