Amen Edore Oyakhire 

Amen Edore Oyakhire (born 21 October 1945) was the Military Administrator of Taraba State between August 1996 and August 1998 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha. He was then administrator of Oyo State during the transitional regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, handing over to the elected civilian governor Lam Adesina in May 1999 at the start of the Fourth Republic.

Oyakhire was made to retire in June 1999 along with all other governors in the previous military regime. In August 1999 the Oyo State government asked the army to help recover properties allegedly stolen by Oyakhire and his aides, including vehicles and electronic gadgets. The request was refused.

In December 1999 Oyakhire’s house in Lagos was raided by armed robbers who stole properties worth several million naira. An article on witchcraft published in The Daily Independent reported that 27 people were killed in Ozalla, Edo State on 4 November 2004. The article said the Ozalla massacre was triggered by a letter from Oyakhire blaming witches in the community for his inability to afford a suitable home in the town, for non-payment of his police pension and for insanity among his children.

On November 4, 2004, 27 people in Ozalla community, Edo State, died after a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and former military governor, Amen Oyakhire, accused them of using witchcraft to frustrate his life.

According to TELL, Oyakhire summoned a meeting at the palace of the traditional ruler, accompanied by two native doctors and two truckloads of mobile policemen.

He claimed some members of the community were responsible for his inability to build a country home, the non-payment of his retirement benefits, and the mental illness of some of his children.

The native doctors began naming alleged witches, after which Oyakhire reportedly ordered policemen and community youths to bring the accused from their homes.

27 people were taken to the palace, forced to drink a concoction, flogged with horsewhips, bamboo sticks and canes, and made to jump.

TELL reported, “In the process, they started vomiting, some defecating before they died. The families of the deceased were forced to bury them that night under severe threat of a similar fate. Those who initially refused were reportedly forced to do so at gunpoint.”

Among those killed were 98-year-old Pa Gabriel Asokhia and his wife, 83-year-old Pa Ikhide Aikpokpo, 83-year-old Owona Uduomo, 60-year-old Adama Aiboh, 38-year-old Helen Ighele, a mother of 10, and a couple, Uwanbaho and Victoria Ailemen, whose deaths left seven children orphaned.

A week later, the police said they could not investigate because no formal complaint had been made. Residents, however, accused the police of a cover-up. One bereaved family alleged that the divisional police officer (DPO) was part of Oyakhire’s entourage on the day of the incident. The retired AIG had also boasted that no one could hold him accountable.

At the time of TELL’s report, the victims’ families had hired a lawyer.

“TELL’s investigation revealed that rather than being a spiritual cleansing exercise, the event may be an attempt to settle old scores with perceived enemies,” the magazine concluded.

The ex-AIG, former military governor of Taraba & Oyo, and alleged Ozalla central figure passed away on March 20, 2026. He was 80. The man who allegedly couldn’t be touched by earthly law finally met the ultimate judge. Nature’s juju works better than police immunity.

Born 1945, police bigwig turned mil admin, lawyer, and local “prince” – Oyakhire lived a full life of honors while Ozalla’s 27 ghosts lingered in silence. No conviction, community apology in 2013, then quiet exit. Perfect Naija ending: Powerful men die in peace; their victims stay footnotes.

Rest in… whatever passes for power in the afterlife, sir. The law looked away, but death never does.

Moral? Even the untouchables get touched eventually. Just not by our courts. 😂🇳🇬