Human rights lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, has raised alarm over alleged military aggression in Amasiri, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, following the ongoing land dispute between Amasiri and Oso Edda communities.
In a strongly worded petition titled “Re-Emergence of Military Invasion, Brutality, and Aggression Reign Freely Against My Community, Amasiri”, Idam called on the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; the Commandant of Nkwegu Military Cantonment, Abakaliki; the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS); and the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State to urgently intervene and halt what he described as a campaign of terror against his community.
According to Idam, the longstanding conflict over ancestral lands between Amasiri and Oso Edda has recently escalated, resulting in the burning of properties worth millions of naira and widespread looting in Ama-iyime and Ozara-Okangwu areas of Amasiri.
He alleged that on April 11, 2025, while Amasiri leaders were attending a peace meeting in Abakaliki convened by the Commissioner of Police, their Oso Edda counterparts refused to attend and instead launched fresh attacks on the Amasiri community.
“The Oso Edda community took advantage of our stakeholders’ absence to carry out coordinated assaults on certain areas in Amasiri. This has deepened the existing tension and plunged our once peaceful town into fear and unrest,” Idam stated.
The lawyer further alleged that military personnel, reportedly from Nkwegu Barracks, invaded Amasiri without provocation, arresting residents, destroying property, and firing sporadically, despite the community maintaining peace.
“There was no crisis or violence in Amasiri to warrant this military operation. Yet, our people were brutalized while the aggressors from Oso Edda were untouched. This has led to fears of a state-backed attempt to forcibly take over our ancestral lands,” he said.
Idam claimed the invasion is being orchestrated by powerful political figures from the Edda axis, who are allegedly using their influence to target Amasiri under the guise of military intervention.
He called on the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonnia Nwifuru, to break his silence and intervene swiftly to prevent a looming humanitarian crisis in Amasiri.
“Homes have been deserted, economic activities are grounded, and farmlands are no longer safe. I appeal to the governor, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, to take immediate action and restore peace to Amasiri,” the petition reads.
He urged the Nigerian public and human rights advocates to condemn what he described as an illegal and unprovoked military operation against innocent citizens.
A story of courage, wonder, and the transformative power of self-belief; perfect for readers aged 10+ who love adventure. To place order: +234 806 130 3237 | +234 803 582 0870 OR Tap the link to grab a copy:https://www.zeekapublish.com/product/the-magical-life-of-anna
