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Nigeria: Odi Killings - Court Orders IG to Quiz Obasanjo
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Vanguard (Lagos)
16 May 2008
Posted to the web 16 May 2008
Ise-Oluwa Ige
AN Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Jabi, yesterday, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro, to investigate ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo over the extra-judicial murder, by soldiers, of no fewer than 88 Nigerians in Odi, Bayelsa State and Zaki Biam, Benue State between 1999 and 2001, on his alleged instruction.
The court which gave the order in chambers also directed Okiro to submit the report of its investigation to it to determine whether or not the ex-President should be tried for the killings.
The order followed a joint request by the leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, and Lagos lawyer, Mr Festus Keyamo.
The duo had filed an application before the magistrate court contending that ex-President Obasanjo deployed soldiers to Odi Town and Zaki Biam on November 20, 1999 and October 21, 2001 respectively with a directive to massacre the residents there.
They argued that although Obasanjo did not personally massacre the victims he was liable since he allegedly issued the order.
They said they could have come to court before now but for the constitutional immunity he enjoyed while he held sway as the nation's president.
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Dokubo and Keyamo consequently prayed the court to issue an order compelling the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS) to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation into the allegation of culpable homicide against the ex-President with a view to trying him before a law court of competent jurisdiction.
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