Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has ordered the immediate closure of all schools in the Amasiri clan of Afikpo Local Government Area and imposed a 20 hour daily curfew following a deadly attack in Okporojo village, Oso Edda community, in Edda Local Government Area.
The attack, allegedly carried out by assailants from the Amasiri clan, resulted in the killing and beheading of four persons and the destruction of more than nine houses, triggering heightened security concerns across the affected areas.
The measures were part of resolutions reached at an emergency meeting of the Ebonyi State Security Council held on Saturday night in Abakaliki. The meeting was convened in response to the violence that erupted in Okporojo village.
Earlier on Saturday, Governor Nwifuru visited the affected community, where he commiserated with residents and directed security agencies to immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attack.
Briefing journalists after the Security Council meeting, the governor announced a series of security and administrative actions aimed at restoring peace and preventing further violence.
He disclosed that, based on the council’s advice, the state government approved the immediate dethronement of two traditional rulers in the Amasiri clan. According to him, letters conveying their dethronement would be issued without delay.
“The letters of their dethronement will be issued to them tomorrow,” Nwifuru said.
The governor also announced the dissolution of all community based leadership structures within the clan, including development union executives, village heads, women leaders, youth leaders, peer groups and all other formal or informal organisations.
“The government has agreed with the council’s directive and dissolved all executives of the Development Union, village heads, women leaders and groups, youth leaders and groups, peer groups, and any other organisations in the Amasiri clan,” he said.
Governor Nwifuru further disclosed that chairmen of Afikpo, Ivo, Ohaozara and Onicha local government areas have been directed to jointly take over the administration and governance of the Amasiri clan until further notice.
As part of the sweeping measures, the Security Council ordered the immediate shutdown of all government amenities in the area, including public and private schools. The Amasiri Development Centre, an arm of the local government in the community, is also to be closed.
The governor revealed that an executive bill has been prepared to repeal sections of the law establishing the Amasiri Development Centre and remove it from the state’s list of development centres. The bill is to be transmitted to the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
“The council advised the government of Ebonyi State to submit an executive bill to repeal the local government and Development Centre law that created Amasiri Development Centre and remove it from the state’s development centres. The government has agreed, and the bill has been prepared to send to the House of Assembly,” he said.
He added that all teachers and tutors in Amasiri are to be redeployed to schools in other communities with immediate effect, noting that the Commissioners for Local Government and Education have been directed to implement the decision.
“As of tomorrow morning, there will be no schools in Amasiri, and the Development Centre will no longer operate,” the governor said.
Governor Nwifuru also announced the imposition of a daily curfew on the Amasiri community from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m., amounting to 20 hours of restricted movement. During the curfew, all markets, shops, businesses, banks, quarries and other commercial activities are to remain shut.
The Security Council further directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings in Okporojo and to recover the severed heads of the victims.
Describing the measures as drastic but necessary, the governor said they were aimed at restoring law and order and reassuring residents of the state government’s resolve to safeguard lives and property.
“These resolutions take immediate effect,” Nwifuru said, warning that the Ebonyi State Government would not tolerate violence or lawlessness in any part of the state.
