THE Ijaw National Congress (INC) has described the 1999 Odi massacre as an act of genocide and the attack on President Goodluck Jonathan's position on the issue as presumptuous.
INC has also said it would support any effort by President Jonathan to end the Boko Haram menace that had claimed several lives in the northern part of the country.
Spokesperson of the pan-Ijaw group, Victor Burubo told The Guardian in Port Harcourt Tuesday that the invasion of Odi by the military in 1999 was unnecessary because it did not stem militancy in the Niger Delta.
"Odi massacre was unnecessary. That was nothing but genocide. It was an over reaction on the part of the president then who had a military mentality. Similar massacre took place in Zaki Biam in Benue State" he said.
Burubo who added that he was not opposed to the former president being tried for gross human rights abuses, insisted that the military action which he authorized was genocidal in all ramifications.
"The mass killing of innocent people, using the instrumentality of the State against a particular people is an act of genocide. Every mass murder or killing is genocide. The attack on Odi based on the premise that militants there killed security operatives was wrong because the act never stemmed militants, it rather further unrest in the region," he said.
Burubo demanded that the Federal government which failed to arrest any militant in Odi when it was invaded 13 years ago should apologise to the families of the innocent persons killed and adequate compensation paid to them.
"we think that there should have been compensation to the people of Odi who suffered unjust losses during the attack on that community. We know that no amount of money can bring back the dead, but it can help to rebuild homes and assuage the people for their losses" he said.
The INC spokesman said President Jonathan assertion that the use of force was not the best option to tackle the Boko Haram menace was valid. According to him, those attacking the president's stance on the issue were merely being presumptuous.
He explained that the president as the Commander in Chief was privy to serious security reports that might have informed his stance against the use of military in tackling the Boko Haram crisis in the North.
Burubo said the INC remained committed to the resolution of any issue through legitimate and peaceful means. According to him, any effort being made in this line by the president would be encouraged.
