Nigerian governor orders destruction of community shrines, deities, gives reason

Amasiri, a community in Afikpo LGA, has been in a prolonged land dispute with neighbouring Okporojo village in the Oso community of Edda, another council area in Ebonyi State.

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has ordered the destruction of all shrines and deities in Amasiri Community following violent clashes with neighbouring Okporojo Community in the state.

Mr Nwifuru announced the directive on Thursday after an expanded Security Council meeting held at the Old Government House in Abakaliki, the state capital.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Amasiri, a community in Afikpo Local Government Area of the state, was recently involved in a renewed land dispute with neighbouring Okporojo, in Oso Community of Edda Local Government Area of the state.

Thursday’s security meeting reviewed the security situation arising from the dispute between the two communities in the southeastern state.

Show the locations of the shrine

Mr Nwifuru directed that community leaders in Amasiri are required to show the state government and security agencies the locations of all shrines in the clan to enable the destruction.

“The council has also directed that all the shrines and deities in the Amasiri clan be destroyed, and stakeholders of the area are under an obligation to show the state government and security agencies the locations of the shrines,” he said.

The governor also announced the constitution of a 19-member committee to demarcate the disputed boundary between the two communities.

He said the demarcation exercise had become necessary following an agreement reached by both parties to resolve the lingering boundary dispute.

Mr Nwifuru said the committee would be chaired by the state Commissioner for Border and Conflict Resolution, Paul Nwobashi.

Other members are the surveyor-general of the state, the commissioner for lands and survey, the commissioner for primary and secondary education, and the chairpersons of the Traditional Rulers’ Councils across the 13 local government areas in the state.

Boniface Chima is a member of the committee, while Sunday Oyibe will serve as its secretary.

‘Curfew remains, severed heads must be provided’

Mr Nwifuru recently ordered a curfew and the shutdown of all schools in Amasiri Community in the wake of the crisis, following the Nigerian Army’s deployment of troops in the area.

Speaking on Thursday, the governor said the curfew earlier imposed on the community would remain in force until the severed heads of victims allegedly killed during the crisis in Okporojo were recovered.

The expanded security meeting was attended by heads of security agencies, traditional rulers, members of the Elders’ Council and stakeholders from Okporojo, Amasiri, Akpoha and Afikpo.

Background

Amasiri, a community in Afikpo LGA, has been embroiled in a prolonged land dispute with neighbouring Okporojo village in the Oso community of Edda, another council area in the state.

The dispute, in January, led to the beheading of four indigenes of Okporojo village in Oso Community and the destruction of their properties.

The deadly attack was allegedly carried out by the people of Amasiri which prompted Mr Nwifuru, in late January, to sack all his political appointees from the community.

The Ebonyi governor equally dethroned traditional rulers from the Amasiri Community over their alleged complicity in the attack and dispute.

He declared a curfew in the community and shut down schools in the area.

Mr Nwifuru would later relax the curfew from 2 p.m. – 10 a.m. to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

He maintained that the Amasiri people must produce the severed heads of the Okporojo indigenes.

The Nigerian Army later announced that it deployed troops in a joint operation within Amasiri and its adjoining communities to protect innocent citizens