Abstract:
The major challenges in Nigeria started in the mid-sixties because of the first and second coup d’états, which eventually led to the civil war. Nigeria, ever since the civil war, had been characterized by a series of altercations and social eruptions. The military intervention in the governance of the country brought about the paradox box of ethnic rivalry, political instability, corruption, and blatant abuse of fundamental human rights. Democratically elected government was an interlude in Nigeria since 1960; the last military rule came to an end on the 29th day of May 1999. The net result of the trauma induced by military rule is quite disheartening. The country is now under a democratic system of government for up to two decades, for the first time since her independence. The beginning of the Fourth Republic was very delicate due to various challenges the new government and the country faced, among which was the military invasion of Odi in Bayelsa State. The military occupation and involvement in internal security operation in the town in 1999 led to the massacre of 2,483 members of the town. This study adopts a historical approach to critically assess and review the causes of the military invasion which led to the carnage in Odi, highlights how many families were affected, x-rays the effects on the people, as well as appraises the Qur’anic maxims on genocide.