The Bayelsa State High Court has awarded ₦20 billion in general damages against the Nigerian government over the unlawful killings and destruction of property during a 2005 military invasion of Odioama Kingdom.
The judgment, delivered on Monday, September 28, 2026, marks a major legal victory for the community more than 20 years after the traumatic military operation in the Brass Local Government Area.
In a statement, the Odioama Kingdom Legal Team noted that the court dismissed a preliminary objection filed by the respondents, which included the President, the Ministry of Defence, and the Chief of Defence Staff.
The court established its jurisdiction to hear the matter, affirming that “no state actor, including the Federal Government or the military, is above the constitution.”
The ₦20 billion award was based on three major issues arising from the February 2005 invasion. These included the unlawful killings of innocent civilians, the degrading treatment of traditional rulers, and the widespread destruction of private property.
Barr. J.J. Calmday, Legal Adviser for Odioama in the Diaspora, explained the weight of the decision. “The judiciary has wiped away the tears of our people, although no amount of monetary compensation can bring back the lives violently cut short or fully erase the psychological scars of the 2005 invasion,” he said.
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He added that the judgment sends an “unequivocal message” that the Nigerian military is constitutionally mandated to protect citizens, not destroy communities.
The community praised the bravery of the late Chief Sunday Igbogisa-Indawari and other local leaders who refused to give up during the lengthy legal battle.
“We urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to accept this judgment in good faith, offer a public apology, and immediately comply with the monetary orders of the court as a step toward genuine national healing,” the statement read.
The coastal settlement of Odioama was invaded and reduced to rubble by a Joint Task Force in 2005, with the military claiming the operation was necessary to curb armed militancy and pipeline vandalism in the area.
As the community celebrates this historic legal vindication, the focus now shifts to whether the federal government will accept the ruling and provide the long-awaited compensation and public apology.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
