EBONYI SHUTS SCHOOLS, IMPOSES 20-HOUR CURFEW AFTER DEADLY AMASIRI ATTACK
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has ordered the immediate closure of all schools in the Amasiri clan of Afikpo Local Government Area and imposed a 20-hour daily curfew following a deadly attack in Okporojo village, Oso Edda community, in Edda Local Government Area.
The attack, allegedly carried out by assailants from Amasiri clan, resulted in the killing and beheading of four persons and the destruction of more than nine houses.
The measures were among resolutions reached at an emergency meeting of the Ebonyi State Security Council held on Saturday night in Abakaliki to address the violence.
Earlier on Saturday, Governor Nwifuru visited the affected community, sympathised with residents, and directed security agencies to immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings.
Briefing journalists after the Security Council meeting, the governor announced a series of security and administrative actions aimed at restoring peace and preventing further violence.
He disclosed that, on the council’s recommendation, the state government approved the immediate dethronement of two traditional rulers in the Amasiri clan.
“The letters of their dethronement will be issued to them tomorrow,” Nwifuru said.
The governor also announced the dissolution of all community leadership structures in the clan, including development union executives, village heads, women leaders, youth leaders, peer groups and all other formal or informal organisations.
“The government has agreed with the council’s directive and dissolved all executives of the Development Union, village heads, women leaders and groups, youth leaders and groups, peer groups, and any other organisations in the Amasiri clan,” he stated.
Nwifuru further revealed that the chairmen of Afikpo, Ivo, Ohaozara and Onicha local government areas have been directed to jointly take over governance and administrative activities in the Amasiri clan until further notice.
As part of the sanctions, the governor said the Amasiri Development Centre would be shut down, adding that an executive bill has been prepared to repeal sections of the law that established the Development Centre and remove it from the state’s list of development centres.
“The bill has been prepared and will be forwarded to the House of Assembly,” he said.
The governor also ordered the immediate closure of all public and private schools in Amasiri, directing that all teachers and tutors be redeployed to other communities outside the clan.
“The Commissioner for Local Government and the Commissioner for Education have been directed to implement this order. As of tomorrow morning, there will be no schools in Amasiri, and the Development Centre will no longer operate,” he said.
Nwifuru announced a daily curfew from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m. in the Amasiri community, during which all markets, shops, banks, businesses, quarries and other commercial activities are to remain shut.
The Security Council also directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the killings and to recover the severed heads of the victims.
Describing the measures as drastic but necessary, the governor said they were aimed at restoring law and order and reassuring residents of the state government’s commitment to security.
“These resolutions take immediate effect,” Nwifuru warned, adding that Ebonyi State would not tolerate violence or lawlessness in any part of the state.
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