The Okuama village in Ughelli North Local Government Area filed a N100 billion lawsuit against the Nigeria Army on Thursday, alleging the military assault and destruction of the community. The case was brought before the Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State.
The execution of 17 military officials and soldiers on what is believed to have been a peace mission on March 14, 2024, following a communal fight between Okuama and the neighboring Okoloba community in the Bomadi LGA, preceded the military invasion and devastation of the Okuama village.
Seventeen Okuama community residents are plaintiffs in the lawsuit (filed under the case number FHC/WR/CS/41/2024), both on their own behalf and the collectively.
Victor Akemor, Bernard Michael, Oghene Kobiruo, Vero Joseph, Ebikawe Emmanuel, Hon. Belvis Adogbo, Austin Eferemua, Evelyn Edjekola, Pa James Ubredu, David Oghenewede, Lucky Orode, Iwriogbo Best, Felix Orhiunu, Hon. Belvis Adogbo, and Madam Omotiwori Olarehor are the plaintiffs.
The primary respondent in this case is the Nigerian Army.
Akpοkοva Omafuaire, the plaintiffs’ attorney, was present at the Thursday’s sessions; the Army was not represented by an attorney.
Citing provisions 36, 37, 41, 44(1), 45, and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, Omafuaire informed Justice I. M. Sani that the court was competent to hear the fundamental rights lawsuit.
The judge postponed the hearing until June 4.
The Nigerian Army is accused of violating the plaintiffs’ “fundamental right to the dignity of the human person, right to a fair hearing, right to private and family life, freedom of movement, right of choice of place of residency and right to own property,” and they are requesting in their 15-point prayer that the court grant them N100 billion in general damages.
By “destruction and razing down the whole buildings in the Okuama community, leaving only the Anglian Church, the Okuama Secondary School, and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing,” they claimed, the military had infringed their rights.
Additionally, they said that the military was “looting our moveable properties.”
They want a court declaration that “the respondent’s deployment of troops for the invasion and brutal reprisal on the applicants and residents of Okuama community over the death of 17 soldiers, which they have no hands in, without any police investigation or any public inquiry indicting them for the crime” was unlawful.
The plaintiffs accused the military of “dishing out collective punishment to the community, killing, maiming, brutalising. harassing, intimidating, coercing, demolishing, destroying and razing our properties, leaving only the Anglian Church, the Okuama Secondary School and the Aderha Primary School buildings standing.”
They said the military invasion made them flee “to various towns, villages, forest, bushes and creeks for safety living the life of destitute under torturous, inhuman, degrading and excruciating conditions without shelter, food, drinking water, medication, money or means of income, and clothes.”
They said they were exposed to the “weather, snakes and mosquitos.”
Following an order of the court “compelling the respondent to stop her troops continued invasion and occupation of the Okuama community to enable the applicants and residents of the Okuama community to take back possession of their land that has been illegally and unlawfully seized and occupied by the respondent to rebuild their community.”
