Leaders from the Amasiri community in Afikpo north LGA of Ebonyi have appealed to Francis Nwifuru, governor of the state, to lift what they describe as a crippling “siege” on their area and reverse “sweeping sanctions” imposed after a deadly attack on neighbouring Okporojo village in Oso Edda.
The governor had, on Sunday, dissolved all political and traditional leadership structures in the Amasiri clan in Afikpo LGA following the killing of three persons over a communal land dispute.
The governor also announced the dethronement of the clan’s traditional rulers, the dissolution of all community unions and groups, the removal of Amasiri as one of the state’s 64 development centres, the closure of schools, the imposition of a 20-hour daily curfew, the shutdown of markets, banks and businesses, and the deployment of soldiers to enforce order.
He also directed chairmen of Ivo, Onicha and Ohaozara LGAs to take over the administration of Amasiri.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the community leaders condemned the Okporojo killings and called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute the actual perpetrators, regardless of their origin.
Joy Omagha, an indigene and a newspaper publisher, urged the governor to constitute an independent, impartial panel to investigate the incident and reverse the “blanket sanctions” on innocent residents.
Idam-Ngwoke Emmanuel, south-east co-ordinator of the Human Rights Guide Association of Nigeria, alleged arbitrary shootings and arrests of innocent people and appealed to President Bola Tinubu to order the immediate withdrawal of soldiers from the community.
M.O. Idam, a public interest and human rights advocate, argued that the governor may have acted on misinformation, describing the sanctions as “hasty”.
He said Amasiri had championed a December 2025 peace accord against resistance from neighbours pending final state resolution of the long-standing boundary dispute.
Idam said residents now live in fear and are unable to earn a living.
He appealed to Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA), and Olufemi Oluyede, chief of defence staff (CDS), to prevail on the governor to halt military action against the “defenceless” community, release unlawfully arrested indigenes, reinstate sacked appointees and restore the traditional rulers.
