OKUAMA GENOCIDE: A Crime Against Humanity. By Ochuko Otoba

"Killing of 17 soldiers by unidentified bandits, does not warrant killing of women and children in a community. Truth be told." Amb. Ochuko Otoba.

"Is jungle justice legal in Nigeria?

"As an Ambassador of the international human rights, I am aware that human rights exist in Nigeria. So, jungle justice constitute a gross violation of the fundamental rights of Okuama victims. It was not a war, so there was no need for collateral damage."

"Ibaba he akpo me sa taaa"!

The above phrase is a proverbial saying in our urhobo land in Nigeria. 

It suggest frankness in truth telling irrespective of whose horse is gored.

"My father was alive, I couldn't tell the truth to save him, is it now that he is dead that I will tell the truth?" 

We the Urhobos in Diaspora West Africa, have been following the unfortunate events of how 17 soldiers were killed in Okuama, one of the suburb of Ewu kingdom in Urhobo land. 

Though there were several versions of the Okuama and Okoloba dispute stories that led to their death. But the Nigeria Army reacted by killing several civilians, women and children and razed down Okuama, displacing women and children also.

This action alone from the Nigerian army is genocidal. A crime against humanity. 

Killing of 17 soldiers by unidentified bandits, does not warrant killing of women and children in a community. Truth be told. 

We keep reading different reactions from Nigerian people, young and old, social and ethnic groups as well. 

One thing strikes my attention, everyone that begins their statement condole with the military, the slain soldiers and their families. We keep observing that 'atychiphobia' was registered in people's faces. The fear of being judged as accomplices if ever they condole with the killed innocent civilians, women and children of Okuama.

This is wrong, in as much as we conderm the killings of the 17 soldiers, we also should conderm the killings of Okuama innocent civilians, women and children. "A cooking pot for the chameleon is a cooking pot for the lizard." 

Let's call a spade a spade, instead of calling it a digging material. 

What the Nigerian army have done is 'Jungle justice.' 

Is jungle justice legal in Nigeria?

As an Ambassador of the international human rights, I am aware that human rights exist in Nigeria. So, jungle justice constitute a gross violation of the fundamental rights of Okuama victims. It was not a war, so there was no need for collateral damage. 

Our fundamental rights are constitutionally guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended). 

Jungle justice is a form of public extrajudicial killings which the Nigerian army have committed.

The Nigerian constitution does not even support that an alleged criminal should be publicly humiliated, beaten and summarily executed, no matter how angry you are. Not to talk of a whole community that even the soldiers sworn an oaths to protect. 

So, what the Nigerian army have done is acting on the word "alleged", not a conviction. Only courts can convict someone of crime and order for execution. 

Therefore, even those declared wanted by the Nigerian Army are also under the same word of "Allegations". It should be proven by a law court before their conviction. 

In addition, jungle justice is against natural justice, which advocates the right to a hearing. This means that no man should be condemned unheard.

Natural justice demands that alleged offenders be treated with all humanity and respect.

We call for the immediate release of the Monarch of Ewu, that is being held at the Nigerian Army headquarters.

We call on the Governor of Delta state, the police and all stake holders to constitute a committee to investigate the matter and all culprits be brought to justice.

Dr. Ochuko Patrick Otoba 
Ambassador IHRC
PG, 
Urhobo Progress Union Burkina Faso