Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has directed the immediate shutdown of all schools in Amasiri, Afikpo Local Government Area, and enforced a 20-hour daily curfew in the community after a fatal attack in Okporojo.
The actions followed decisions taken at an emergency meeting of the Ebonyi State Security Council on Saturday night, which was convened in response to the violent incident in Okporojo village, Oso Edda, within Edda Local Government Area.
The attack claimed the lives of at least four people and was reportedly connected to a protracted boundary dispute between the Okporojo community and neighbouring Amasiri.
The governor said a bill has been prepared and will be sent to the State House of Assembly to repeal sections of the law that established 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 center and remove Amasiri development center from the development centers 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 Center from the Development Centers 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 other communities other than Amasiri communities with immediate effects.
“The government of Ebonyi state agreed with the directive of the council and have directed the Commissioner for local government and Commissioner for education to immediately implement the directive of the council.
“Accordingly, all government and private schools in Amasiri Development Center and in 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 center in Amasiri”, the governor said.
Nwifuru said the council also resolved to impose a daily curfew on Amasiri community from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m.
He said that under the curfew, all markets, shops, businesses, banks, quarries and other commercial activities are to remain shut during the restricted hours.
Nwifuru said council further directed security agencies to swing into action to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings in Okporojo, and to recover the severed heads of the victims at all costs.”
He said the measures, though drastic, were necessary to restore law and order and reassure residents of the state government’s commitment to security.
“These resolutions take immediate effect,” the governor said, warning that the state would not tolerate acts of violence or lawlessness in any part of Ebonyi State.”
The conflict, which has spanned decades, has led to repeated loss of lives despite interventions by successive administrations.
Earlier on Saturday, Governor Nwifuru visited the affected community, where he commiserated with residents and directed security agencies to ensure the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attack.
He disclosed that, on the council’s advice, the state government approved the immediate dethronement of two traditional rulers in the Amasiri clan as part of steps to address the crisis.
“The letters of their dethronement will be issued to them tomorrow,” he said
The governor said council also ordered the dissolution of all community-based leadership structures in Amasiri, including development union executives, village heads, women leaders, youth leaders, peer groups and any other formal or informal organizations 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 organization, women organization, peer group organization and any other organization in the Amasiri clan,” he said
Nwifuru said the security council directed that the chairmen of Afikpo, Ivo, Ohaozara and Onicha local government areas should jointly take over the administration and government activities in Amasiri community until further notice.
The governor said the council directed that all amenities in the town be shutdown effective immediately including all schools, both public and private.
Also, the Amasiri Development Centre, a fourth tier of government in the area is to be shutdown.
