Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has ordered the removal of traditional rulers in Amasiri clan, Afikpo Local Government Area, and directed the withdrawal of their staff of office.
He also sacked the Commissioner for Tertiary Education from the area, Prof. Amari Omaka, and dissolved both the political and traditional leadership structures of the community.
The sweeping actions followed a violent attack on Okporojo in Oso Edda community, Edda Local Government Area, where four people were reportedly beheaded, with their heads allegedly taken away by assailants said to be from Amasiri clan.
Nwifuru announced the measures on Saturday during an on-the-spot assessment visit to Okporojo, where he addressed residents, community leaders, security agencies and government officials.
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Describing the incident as “most unfortunate,” the governor said such brutality would not be tolerated in Ebonyi State. He assured residents that the perpetrators would be decisively dealt with and that the victims’ deaths would not be in vain.
He urged the community to remain calm and avoid retaliation, warning that reprisals would only deepen the crisis. According to him, government actions would be firm but aimed at preventing further escalation.
Nwifuru noted that the conflict between the communities had persisted for years despite several reconciliation efforts, including boundary agreements that were repeatedly violated.
He said his visit signalled that the state would no longer tolerate lawlessness or disregard for the rule of law.
Issuing a stern warning to Amasiri, the governor said continued provocations were pushing the situation toward “a point of no return,” stressing that violence could never bring a lasting solution.
Consequently, he announced the immediate dissolution of the Amasiri Town Development Union and its executives, withdrawal of the traditional ruler’s certificate, and removal of all village heads in the Amasiri autonomous community.
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He also ordered the sack of all political appointees from Amasiri, from management committee members to commissioners serving in his administration.
Reaffirming his commitment to restoring lasting peace in Edda LGA, Nwifuru promised that the area would begin to see tangible government interventions from next year.
Expressing deep anger over the development, he said he was choosing his words carefully to avoid worsening tensions but vowed that the state would demonstrate its authority.
“As long as I remain governor, this kind of rascality will never happen again,” he said, while urging Amasiri residents to reconsider their actions and embrace peace.