Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has ordered the sack of traditional rulers in the Amasiri clan of Afikpo Local Government Area and directed the withdrawal of their staff of office.
The governor also sacked the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof. Amari Omaka, who is from the area, and dissolved the entire political and traditional leadership structure of the community.
The actions followed a violent attack on Okporojo in Oso Edda community, Edda Local Government Area, during which four persons were allegedly beheaded, with their heads taken away by assailants from the Amasiri clan.
The governor gave the directives on Saturday during an on-the-spot assessment visit to Okporojo, where he addressed residents, community leaders, security agencies and government officials.
Nwifuru described the attack as “most unfortunate” and said such a barbaric act should never be tolerated in Ebonyi State.
He assured that the state government would decisively deal with the perpetrators, stressing that the lives lost would not be in vain.
He urged residents to remain calm and embrace peace, warning that any form of retaliation would only worsen the situation. According to him, government actions would be firm but guided by the need to prevent further escalation of the crisis.
Nwifuru revealed that the conflict had lingered for years despite several reconciliation efforts, including boundary agreements between the affected communities, lamenting that such agreements were repeatedly violated.
He noted that his visit was a “strong signal” that the state would no longer tolerate lawlessness or disregard for the rule of law.
Turning to the role of the Amasiri community in the crisis, the governor issued a stern warning, stating that violence would never lead to a meaningful resolution.
He cautioned that the situation was rapidly approaching “a point of no return” if provocations continued.
Consequently, Nwifuru announced the immediate dissolution of the Amasiri Town Development Union and its executive members, the withdrawal of the traditional ruler’s certificate, and the removal of all village heads in the Amasiri autonomous community.
He further ordered the sack of all political appointees from the Amasiri community, ranging from management committee members to commissioners serving in his administration.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to restoring lasting peace in Edda Local Government Area, the governor promised that the community would begin to experience tangible improvements through government intervention by next year.
He said: “I am particularly very saddened. I repent of this kind of development. I have never in my whole life expected this kind of development. It is quite unfortunate. But as a careful leader, you speak less when you are very angry, and at this moment I will speak less.
“I want to assure the people of Okporojo autonomous community that the government of Ebonyi State will definitely show the perpetrators what it means to challenge government authority. I promise you, the lives lost will never be in vain by the special grace of God.
“I am seeking the right words at this moment so that I do not escalate the crisis, but I plead with all of you to maintain peace. At the end of the day, those who started this violence will regret it. My visit here today will leave a very bold mark.
“By the end of today, you will see the outcome of this visit. And I promise you, as long as I remain your governor, this kind of rascality will never happen again.”
He also spoke on the role of the Afikpo Local Government leadership, saying: “The Chairman of Afikpo is here. He is known for his doggedness, peace-loving nature and respect for the rule of law. But if his subjects decide to take lives at will, it is a pity.”
Nwifuru added: “If you see a quiet person, do not push him to the wall. I have been pushed to the wall. This matter did not start today. We have held several meetings, traced boundaries and reached agreements. But it has now reached a critical point.
“My message to the people of Amasiri is to rethink their actions. Violence will never lead them anywhere. I have also heard that Akpoha community blocked their road because they feared an attack. This shows how far things have gone.”
He concluded: “On this note, for now, the development union executives and all village leadership structures in Amasiri are hereby dissolved. The traditional ruler’s certificate is withdrawn. All government appointees from Amasiri, from management committee members to commissioners, are hereby sacked. All village heads in Amasiri autonomous communities are removed. We will do more, and we will show everyone why we are government.”
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