The military invasion of Bayelsa State was received with considerable concern and anger among Niger  Deltans. The protests against President Olusegun Obasanjo's ultimatum was largely led by Ijaws, with  other Deltans not expressing any outward outrage. However, the news of the invasion on November  22, 1999 was quickly followed by an avalanche of protests from a broad spectrum of Niger Deltans.  Apart from general sympathies that Deltans have come to share among themselves, Odi Town had a  sizeable population of migrant Isokos and Urhobos. Indeed, the origins of Odi has been linked to  ancient Isoko migrants. Thus, other ethnic groups in the Niger Delta were concerned with the invasion,  both as an indication of the Federal Government's continuing assault on the region and also as more  immediate point of worry for the safety of  members of their ethnic groupings.

The selection that follows includes significant articles that drew attention from general Nigerian readers  and from defenders of President Olusegun Obasanjo's policies. They also had considerable impact in  bringing this crisis to the attention of the international community, particularly that of the Human Rights  community. The entries below are arranged according to dates of authorship.