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The Advocates for Good Governance said families face severe hardship after clashes linked to the decades-old conflict between Amasiri and neighboring Edda communities over contested farmland. The groups warned Friday that innocent residents are bearing consequences of the crisis.
The boundary dispute has reportedly claimed numerous lives and destroyed property valued at billions of naira. Last week’s beheading of four people in Okporojo-Oso Edda marked what observers characterized as a dangerous escalation.
Nwifuru responded to the killings by announcing sanctions against Amasiri. Measures included removing government appointees from the community, initiating steps to revoke Amasiri’s development area status, dethroning two traditional rulers, dissolving community unions and imposing a 20-hour curfew.
The governor directed chairmen of Ivo, Onicha and Ohaozara local government areas to assume administrative oversight of Amasiri. Schools were closed as part of emergency actions.
However, the civil society coalition expressed concern that the humanitarian situation has worsened amid operations by security personnel deployed to restore peace. Speaking through spokesman Onyedika Agbo, the groups urged Nwifuru to order an immediate, transparent investigation into allegations against some security operatives working in the community.
The organizations warned that continued official silence while residents reportedly suffer could be interpreted as tacit approval of the situation.
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A joint security task force deployed to Amasiri on January 30 to enforce the curfew and restore calm, according to the groups. They said disturbing allegations have since emerged from residents.
Community members have reported incidents of extrajudicial killings, burning of homes and destruction of farm produce allegedly worth hundreds of millions of naira, leaving families homeless and without income sources, the coalition stated.
Residents claimed that although military presence initially created hope for stability, the situation has allegedly deteriorated into widespread fear, displacement and psychological trauma, according to the groups.
Women, children and elderly people have reportedly fled into nearby bushes for safety. Observers described the situation as resembling collective punishment of innocent civilians, the organizations said.
The coalition stressed that security agencies have a constitutional duty to protect lives and property and must remain neutral, warning that any action creating fear among citizens erodes public trust.
The groups raised concerns that the prolonged curfew has restricted movement, limiting access to healthcare, food and other essential services. Destruction of farm produce could trigger a food crisis if urgent intervention is not provided, they said.
The organizations called for an independent investigation by the National Human Rights Commission, unrestricted humanitarian access to Amasiri and increased media attention. They insisted the plight of residents requires urgent government action and national concern.
Boundary disputes between communities in Nigeria’s Southeast have occasionally erupted into violence, with conflicts over farmland and other resources sometimes persisting across generations. Such disputes typically involve complex historical claims and overlapping jurisdictions.
Government responses to communal violence have varied, with authorities sometimes imposing curfews, deploying security forces or taking administrative actions against communities deemed responsible for instigating conflicts.
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Human rights organizations have periodically raised concerns about collective punishment measures and alleged abuses by security personnel during peacekeeping operations in conflict-affected areas.
The Ebonyi State government has not issued a public response to the civil society allegations as of Friday evening. Governor Nwifuru, who serves as the state’s chief security officer under Nigeria’s constitutional framework, has not commented on the groups’ call for investigation.
Amasiri lies in Afikpo local government area in southern Ebonyi State. The community’s proximity to boundaries with neighboring areas has made it vulnerable to territorial disputes that occasionally turn violent.
The Edda-Amasiri boundary conflict predates Ebonyi’s creation as a state in 1996. Previous attempts at resolution through traditional mediation and government intervention have not produced lasting peace.
Property destruction and displacement during communal conflicts create long-term economic consequences for affected populations, particularly in predominantly agricultural communities where farmland represents the primary livelihood source.
The 20-hour curfew imposed on Amasiri significantly restricts residents’ ability to conduct normal activities, with movement permitted for only four hours daily. Such restrictions complicate access to markets, healthcare facilities and other essential services.
School closures affect children’s education and remove one source of routine structure and safety during crisis periods. The duration of the closure has not been specified publicly.
Traditional rulers play significant roles in community governance and conflict resolution in southeastern Nigeria. Their dethronement represents a severe sanction that disrupts established social structures and authority systems.
The removal of Amasiri’s development area status would affect administrative structures and potentially reduce the community’s access to government resources and representation.
Whether federal authorities or national human rights institutions will respond to the civil society appeal remains unclear. The National Human Rights Commission conducts investigations into alleged rights violations when petitioned or when situations draw public attention.
The civil society coalition’s statement reflects broader concerns about how security forces operate during communal conflicts and whether peacekeeping operations sometimes create additional humanitarian problems rather than resolving them.
