Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has taken strong action against the leadership of the Amasiri community in Afikpo LGA after a violent dispute with neighbours left several people dead, beheaded, and sparked fears of further attacks.
Gatekeepers News reports that the dispute with the Okporojo village in Oso Edda, Edda Local Government Area, involved a longstanding land boundary conflict that recently escalated, resulting in four residents being killed and homes destroyed.
During a visit to Okporojo on Saturday, Governor Nwifuru dissolved the entire leadership structure of the Amasiri area in a bid to deter further violence and restore order.
All political appointees from Amasiri, including members of management committees and commissioners such as Prof. Amari Omaka, were dismissed immediately.
Traditional rulers had their certificates of recognition withdrawn, and the Town Union executives and village heads were removed from their positions.
Nwifuru described the latest killings as
most unfortunate and expressed deep sadness over the brutality, saying he never expected such extreme violence in the state.
He promised that the government would use its full authority to ensure justice for the victims and to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
The Governor urged residents to stay calm and avoid reprisals, noting that violence only worsens the situation and hinders previous peaceful efforts.
Nwifuru acknowledged that past attempts to resolve the dispute, including boundary tracing and peace meetings, had repeatedly failed and that the situation had now reached a critical point.
He said his patience had been stretched, insisting that he had been pushed to the wall, and warned that those behind the violence would face consequences under the law.
Nwifuru also pledged continued government intervention to bring lasting peace and development to the affected communities.
He stressed that as long as he remained Governor, such brutality would not be tolerated. Security agencies were thanked for their efforts in protecting lives and pursuing suspects involved in the clash.
