Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has dissolved the political and traditional leadership structures of the Amasiri clan in Afikpo Local Government Area (LGA) following the gruesome killing of three people over a communal land dispute.
The incident, which occurred in the Okporojo village of the Oso Edda community, saw the victims—two of whom were beheaded—while another died from injuries sustained during the attack. The attack was allegedly carried out by individuals from the Ndukwe community in Amasiri, Afikpo LGA.
In response to the incident, Governor Nwifuru visited the affected community on Sunday, where he took swift action by dismissing all political and traditional leaders in Amasiri. He ordered the immediate retrieval of the traditional rulers’ staff of office and sacked all government officials, including commissioners and other political appointees from the clan.
Nwifuru expressed deep sorrow over the killings, noting that the government had made several attempts to mediate the conflict, but those efforts had failed. He condemned the violence, saying he never expected such an incident to occur.
“I am deeply saddened by this development. I never expected this kind of incident. It is quite unfortunate,” Nwifuru said. “As a leader, when you are very angry, you speak less. But I want to assure the people of the Okporojo autonomous community that the government of Ebonyi State will show the perpetrators what it means to challenge government authority. The lives lost will not be in vain.”
The governor urged the residents to remain calm but stressed that those responsible for the violence would be held accountable. He promised that his government would take decisive action.
“My visit here today will leave a very bold mark. By the end of today, you will see the outcome. As long as I remain governor, this kind of rascality will not happen again,” he declared.
Nwifuru also acknowledged that the crisis had caused widespread fear in neighboring communities. Reports indicated that the Akpoha community had blocked its roads out of concern for a potential attack.
“This matter did not start today. We have held several meetings, traced boundaries, and reached agreements, but it has now reached a critical point,” Nwifuru added.
In an unprecedented move, he issued a stern directive: “For now, the development union executives and all village leadership structures in Amasiri are hereby dissolved. The traditional ruler’s certificate is withdrawn. All government appointees from Amasiri, from management committee members to commissioners, are hereby sacked. All village heads in Amasiri autonomous communities are removed. We will do more, and we will show everyone why we are the government.”
The governor’s actions reflect his determination to restore peace and order, sending a clear message that his administration will not tolerate violence or the failure of leadership in the state.