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Authorities in Nigeria’s Ebonyi State have partially relaxed emergency restrictions in parts of Afikpo Local Government Area following recent communal violence, while keeping schools shut as security operations and criminal investigations continue.
Governor Francis Nwifuru announced the measures after a State Security Council meeting in Abakaliki, where officials reviewed conditions in Amasiri Autonomous Community and nearby settlements, including Okporojo and Akpoha. The actions follow a deadly incident in the area, widely referred to locally as the Okporojo killings.
The curfew imposed on the communities has been adjusted to run daily from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Residents are permitted to carry out normal activities during daylight hours. Authorities said the revision reflected improved stability after security deployments, patrols and surveillance operations were expanded across the affected locations.
Nwifuru said the change was based on assessments by security agencies indicating a gradual return to order. He emphasized that the restrictions were introduced as a preventive measure to avoid further clashes rather than as a punitive response against the communities.
Despite easing movement restrictions, the government ordered schools in the affected areas to remain closed. The governor said the administration would not reopen classrooms until officials were satisfied that students, teachers and school staff could operate safely.
“While there are clear social and economic benefits to reopening schools, the prevailing security realities demand caution,” he said, adding that the decision would be reconsidered after another security review.
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Authorities indicated intelligence assessments had warned the crisis could spread to neighbouring settlements if security intervention had not been introduced.
The government therefore prioritized measures aimed at preventing escalation while allowing limited restoration of daily economic activity.
Law enforcement agencies have been directed to accelerate investigations into the killings. The governor disclosed that investigators had recorded progress, including the recovery of a shallow grave believed to be linked to the incident and the obtaining of confessional statements from some suspects.
He stressed, however, that all those detained remain presumed innocent under Nigerian law until proven guilty in court.
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Security agencies are continuing efforts to locate other suspects believed to be at large. Additional steps approved by the Security Council were not disclosed publicly, with officials citing operational sensitivity and the need to avoid compromising ongoing enforcement actions.
Nwifuru also cautioned residents against spreading rumours or unverified information, particularly on social media platforms, warning that inflammatory commentary could undermine security operations and increase tension in already fragile communities.
The state government has not released an official casualty figure from the violence, but the incident prompted a large security presence across the affected areas, including checkpoints, patrols and surveillance activity designed to deter retaliation and reassure residents.
The decision to keep schools closed reflects a broader concern among authorities that educational institutions can become vulnerable gathering points during periods of instability.
Officials said reopening would depend on further security assessments and community engagement.
