A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba has declared that the bombardment of Gbaramatu Kingdom, comprising 53 communities, by the Joint Task Force JTF during the military raid of 2009 is unconstitutional. The court consequently ordered the Federal Government to pay communities that
make up the Kingdom the sum of N100 billion in damages. Following the raid of militant camps in the Delta Creeks and the consequent bombardment of Gbaramatu Kingdom, the leaders had gone to court seeking the declaration of the raid as unconstitutional as the militant camps were not located in the communities. They also accused the JTF of wanton destruction of properties and loot of the communities and consequently demanded N100 billion in damages. In his judgment yesterday, Justice Ibrahim Buba held that the massive bombardment, which resulted in the demolition, destruction of houses, household furniture/wares, boats, canoes, domestic animals and displacement of members of the communities, was a clear violation of Section 217(2)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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