The Nigerian Army has explained that the deployment of troops to Amasiri community in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State is a coordinated security operation aimed at protecting residents and flushing out criminal elements, not an occupation of the area.
The Army made this clarification on Sunday in response to viral social media videos in which some journalists criticised the presence of soldiers in the community.
In a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Lt. Col. Olabisi Ayeni, the military said the operation followed recent violent incidents, including the killing and beheading of four persons in Okporojo village, Edda Local Government Area, and the discovery of shallow graves containing mutilated bodies in Amasiri.
According to the statement, the gravity of the crimes necessitated immediate security intervention.
“These acts of brutality required urgent action to restore calm, safeguard innocent lives and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice,” Ayeni said.
He disclosed that the Ebonyi State Government, acting within its constitutional duty to protect lives and property, imposed a curfew on Amasiri and ordered the temporary closure of schools to prevent further escalation of violence.
Ayeni explained that security agencies were deployed to enforce the curfew, support ongoing investigations, secure medical personnel and address the humanitarian concerns arising from the crisis.
The Army spokesman added that the operation is being carried out by a joint task force comprising the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
“The joint teams are conducting intelligence-driven patrols, cordon-and-search operations and forensic exhumation of several burial sites, including graves of both adults and children,” he stated.
He stressed that the military action is not directed at the people of Amasiri but at criminal groups exploiting the long-standing communal tension in the area.
“It is important to emphasise that this deployment is not against law-abiding residents. It is a professional, intelligence-led operation carried out in collaboration with community leaders to ensure transparency and accountability,” Ayeni said.
The Army reaffirmed its commitment to impartial protection of all citizens and assured that the operation would continue until peace is restored, suspects are apprehended and justice is served.
It also called on the public to disregard misinformation and support security efforts in Afikpo North and surrounding communities.
Amasiri and the neighbouring Oso Edda community in Edda Local Government Area have been locked in a long-running dispute over ancestral land, a conflict that has persisted for decades.
Residents of Amasiri claim ownership of the land, accusing Oso Edda settlers of gradual encroachment.
Tensions escalated on January 29, 2026, when suspected attackers from Amasiri allegedly invaded Okporojo village in Oso Edda, killing and beheading four persons, including traditional rulers, and setting several houses on fire.
The incident was described as a retaliatory attack, with both communities blaming each other for reigniting hostilities.
Following the violence, Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, imposed a 20-hour curfew on Amasiri, shut down schools and dissolved the community’s leadership structure.
He also removed government appointees from the area, deposed traditional rulers and ordered the arrest of key suspects, including the Amasiri Development Centre coordinator, Anya Baron-Ogbonnia, and two monarchs.
However, some Amasiri residents and leaders have protested the measures, alleging that the state government’s response was biased in favour of Edda. They cited the governor’s family ties to the area and alleged political grievances.
The state government has since dismissed the allegations, insisting that the actions taken were necessary to prevent further bloodshed and restore lasting peace after the breakdown of an earlier peace agreement.
