Ebonyi governor sacks commissioner, strips Amasiri rulers after deadly attack
The Ebonyi State governor, Francis Nwifuru, has ordered the removal of traditional rulers in the Amasiri clan of Afikpo Local Government Area and directed the withdrawal of their staff of office, following a deadly communal attack that left four people allegedly beheaded.
The governor also sacked the commissioner for tertiary education, Prof Amari Omaka, and dissolved the entire political and traditional leadership structure of the Amasiri community over the incident.
The actions followed a violent attack on Okporojo in Oso Edda community, Edda Local Government Area, where assailants reportedly invaded the area and beheaded four residents, taking away their heads. The attackers were alleged to have come from the neighbouring Amasiri clan.
Nwifuru issued the directives on Saturday during an on-the-spot assessment visit to Okporojo, where he addressed residents, community leaders, security agencies and government officials. Describing the attack as “most unfortunate”, the governor said such barbarity would not be tolerated in Ebonyi State.
He assured the community that the state government would decisively deal with those responsible, stressing that the lives lost would not be in vain. He urged residents to remain calm and warned against reprisals, noting that retaliation would only deepen the crisis.
According to him, government actions would be firm but guided by the need to prevent further escalation. He revealed that the conflict had lingered for years despite repeated reconciliation efforts, including boundary agreements between the affected communities, lamenting that such accords had been consistently violated.
The governor said 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, he warned that violence would never lead to a meaningful resolution, cautioning that continued provocations could push the situation to a point of no return.
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 Amasiri, ranging from management committee members to commissioners serving in his administration.
Reaffirming his commitment to restoring lasting peace in Edda Local Government Area, the governor promised that the community would begin to see tangible improvements through government intervention by next year.
“I am particularly very saddened. I have never in my whole life expected this kind of development. It is quite unfortunate,” he said, adding that his restraint was deliberate to avoid escalating tensions.
He assured residents of Okporojo that the government would demonstrate the consequences of challenging state authority, insisting that those who initiated the violence would regret their actions.
Nwifuru also spoke on the role of the Afikpo Local Government leadership, noting that while the council chairman was peace-loving and law-abiding, it was regrettable that violence had occurred under his jurisdiction.
Warning that he had been pushed to the wall after years of failed peace efforts, the governor said intelligence reports indicating fear and road blockages in neighbouring communities showed how far the crisis had spread.
He concluded by reiterating the dissolution of all leadership structures in Amasiri and the removal of its political appointees, declaring that the state would do more to restore order and assert its authority.