Asaba Massacre: Son Of Slain Victim Demands Justice After 58 Years

The son of one of the victims of the Asaba massacre, Mr. Augustine Nwanze-Maijeh, has renewed calls for the Federal Government to compensate families affected by the tragic killings that took place in 1967 during the Nigerian Civil War.

His father, the late Augustine Nduka Majeh, was among those killed in the massacre. On Tuesday, St. Augustine Catholic Church in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, held a posthumous birthday thanksgiving in his honour.

Speaking after the event, Nwanze-Maijeh described his late father as a philanthropist who selflessly supported his community. He recounted how the tragedy left his family in severe hardship after his father’s life and properties were taken away.

“We are remembering our father with this thanksgiving, but we are still in pain. The Federal Government of Nigeria took his life and left us in suffering. His death caused deep physical and psychological wounds to my late mother and siblings. We were children when it happened and had no understanding of the world around us,” he said.

Nwanze-Maijeh lamented that the family’s properties were confiscated, further compounding their struggles. He appealed to the government to compensate families of the victims, stressing that no financial settlement could restore the lives lost but would serve as a step toward healing.

“It was an act of inhumanity. The military committed genocide, and the families of victims deserve justice. Compensation may not bring back our fathers, but it will help ease the pain,” he added.

He further recalled that his father had only travelled to Asaba to assist a lawyer friend when he met his untimely death. Nwanze-Maijeh, who was about five years old at the time, said survival for him and his siblings was only possible through the grace of God, despite the hardships they endured.

Communities in Asaba have continued to demand justice and compensation for the over 1,000 victims of the massacre, insisting that decades after the killings, the Federal Government must take responsibility.