Family of Ogoni Soldier Still Awaits Govt Assistance 7 Months After Gruesome Murder
It has been seven months since the brutal murder of Corporal Meelubari Nsereka, an Ogoni soldier who hails from Bua Luusue-Sogho in Khana Local Government Area, serving in the Nigerian military.
Meelubari was killed by yet to be identified gunmen in an ambush at Abua/Odual local government area last year sparking outrage and calls for justice from his family and the Ogoni community.
Despite the passage of time, the Nsereka family’s pleas for assistance and compensation from Governor Siminialayi Fubara and the federal government have largely fallen on deaf ears.
Meelubari’s octogenarian mother, Ma Blessing Nsereka and family members, who depended on their son’s military income, say they have been left to struggle financially in the wake of his death.
“The government has abandoned us,” cried his elder brother, Reuben Wiri.
“My son died serving this country, and now we can barely afford to put food on the table. All we want is some help to get by, but they refuse to listen to our cries”, Ma Blessing Nsereka wailed.
Investigations into Meelubari’s death have yielded few concrete results, with human rights groups accusing the government of dragging its feet and obstructing the pursuit of accountability.
The Nsereka family’s legal efforts to seek justice through the courts have also stalled, hampered by bureaucratic delays and what they allege is a lack of political will to hold the responsible parties accountable.
“This is a gross injustice,” said Peter Azia, a community leader in Ogoniland. “Corporal Meelubari gave his life for Nigeria, and now his own government has turned its back on his family.
We will not stop fighting until they receive the assistance and closure they deserve.”
The continued lack of government support for the Nsereka family has exacerbated tensions in the volatile Ogoni region, where memories of past human rights abuses and environmental destruction by multinational oil companies remain fresh.
Activists warn that the case could further erode public trust in the Nigerian state if left unresolved.
“This is not just about one family’s tragedy,” said human rights activist, Prince Wiro. “It’s about the government’s responsibility to protect and care for all its citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or background.
Until they address this case with the urgency it deserves, the wounds of the past will continue to fester.”
With the unfortunate killing of Corporal Meelubari’ now in it’s seventh month, his family and the Ogoni community maintain their call for justice and the support they believe the government owes them. The outcome of this case, they say, will have profound implications for the future of Nigeria’s fragile social fabric.
