Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has announced sweeping security measures following a violent incident linked to the Amasiri clan in Afikpo Local Government Area, which resulted in multiple deaths and widespread destruction of property and later spilled into Okporojo village in the Oso Edda community of Edda Local Government Area.
The decisions were taken at an emergency meeting of the Ebonyi State Security Council held late on Saturday night, January 31. The meeting was convened after reports of unrest in Okporojo village raised serious security concerns across the area
Earlier in the day, Governor Nwifuru visited the affected community, sympathised with residents, and instructed security agencies to move swiftly to apprehend and prosecute those responsible for the attack.
Speaking after the security council meeting in Abakaliki, the governor outlined a series of actions approved to restore order and prevent further violence. He revealed that two traditional rulers from Amasiri clan would be removed from office based on the council’s recommendations.
“The letters of their dethronement will be issued to them tomorrow,” he said.
He further announced the dissolution of all community leadership structures operating within the clan.
“Government agreed with the council’s directive and dissolved all the Executives of the Development Union, the village heads, women leaders, women groups, youth leaders and youth groups, youth organisations, women organisations, peer group organisations, and any other organisation in the Amasiri clan,” he said.
Governor Nwifuru added that administrative control of the area would temporarily be handed over to the chairmen of Afikpo, Ivo, Ohaozara, and Onicha local government areas until further notice.
The council also ordered the immediate closure of all public and private schools and other government facilities in the community, including the Amasiri Development Centre. According to the governor, steps are already underway to repeal the law establishing the development centre.
“The council also advised the government of Ebonyi State to send an executive bill to the House of Assembly for the repeal of the local government and development center law that created Amasiri Development Centre and remove Amasiri Development Centre from the development centres of Ebonyi State.
“The government of Ebonyi State agreed on the directive of the council and a bill for a law to repeal the local government and development center law of Ebonyi State of 2015 has been prepared to send to the House of Assembly to delete Amasiri Development Centre from the development centres in Ebonyi State.
“The council also directed that all government amenities in Amasiri, including schools, both private and public, should, as a matter of urgency, close down, and all teachers and tutors be posted to other schools and communities immediately.
“The government of Ebonyi State agreed with the directive of the council and has directed the Commissioner for Local Government and the Commissioner for Education to immediately implement the directive.
“Accordingly, all government and private schools in Amasiri Development Centre and in the Amasiri clan are hereby closed down, and all teachers are to be posted to other schools in other communities.
“As from tomorrow morning, there will be no school in Amasiri, and there will be no development centre in Amasiri,” the governor said.
The governor also announced the imposition of a daily curfew on the Amasiri community from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m., during which all economic and commercial activities, including markets, shops, banks, quarries, and businesses, must remain closed.
He added that security agencies have been directed to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings in Okporojo and to recover the severed heads of the victims.
According to Nwifuru, the actions taken by the state government, though strict, are aimed at restoring peace and reinforcing its commitment to protecting lives and property.
“These resolutions take immediate effect,” the governor said, warning that violence and lawlessness would not be tolerated anywhere in Ebonyi State.
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