The Odi massacre[1][2] was an attack carried out on November 20, 1999, by the Nigerian Armed Forces against the predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa State.[3] The attack came in the context of an ongoing conflict in the Niger Delta[4] over indigenous rights to oil resources and environmental protection.[5] It is estimated that over 900 civilians were killed in the attack.
People generally say that the massacre was ordered by the regime of former president Olusegun Obasanjo and vice president Atiku Abubakar .[2] The military has often defended its action saying it was ambushed on its way to Odi. As a result, tensions rose before entrance into the village.