Following an alleged military resurgence in a community (Amasiri) in Ebonyi State, an Abuja-based public interest lawyer, M.O. Idam, has called for the intervention of major stakeholders in Nigeria’s security architecture to curb the unnecessary waste of human lives and property.
In a 14th April petition addressed to the Chief of Defence Staff, the Commandant, Nkwegu Military Cantonment, Nkwegu, Abakaliki, the Director General of the Security Service, the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Police Command, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State and the Governor of Ebonyi State, Idam Esq. urged “Nigerians to speak against the ongoing needless military aggression and urge the Chief of Defence Staff and the Commandant Nkwegu Military Cantonment to withdrew the military operation in Amasiri.”
The petition reads:
Sir,
RE- CRY FOR HELP, AMASIRI IS BLEEDING.
RE-EMERGENCE OF MILITARY INVASION, BRUTALITY AND AGRESSION REIGN FREELY AGAINST MY COMMUNITY, AMASIRI.
The above subject refers.
As a civil rights and public interest lawyer of Amasiri indigene, I write in pensive but helpless emotion to yet again draw the attentions of well meaning Nigerians and the authorities to the above subject matter, yearning for an urgent intervention.
The crisis between Oso Edda and Amasiri in Ebonyi State which has regrettably occasioned the loss of several lives and properties and has continued to pose tension, hostility and anxiety among the two neighbouring communities (Oso Edda and Amasiri) in Ebonyi State, despite effort by Amasiri indigenes to pursue amicable settlement options only, in resolving the matter, even the face of provocations.
Quite disturbing is that on 11th April 2025, the stakeholders of Amasiri, in pursuance of their resolve to seek peaceful alternative to the resolution of the conflicting issues with their Oso Edda neighbour, attended a peace committee setup by the Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State, following an invitation for that purpose, which was also attended to by several other stake holders in old Afikpo Zone. Unfortunately, the Oso Edda neighbouring community refused, ignored and or completely rebuffed the invitation to attend the peace committee and instead, seized the opportunity to again embark on another round of attacks against certain communities in Amasiri while her stakeholders was away in Abakaliki seeking peaceable settlement to the conflicting issues.
The attack which targeted Ama-iyime and Ozara-Okangwu of Amasiri, saw several properties worth millions of naira burnt while several other valuables also looted in the process. An incident that has triggered the already existing tension, anxiety and unrest among the once most blissful and quiet community, Amasiri in Ebonyi State.
While Amasiri indigenes and visitors who identify with her are targeted for onslaught by their estranged Oso Edda neighbouring community who are now on rampage along the Okigwe-Afikpo federal highway, waylaying vehicles and fishing out commuters who are either of Amasiri origin or identify with Amasiri. This coordinated aggression is freely carried out uninterruptedly as a result of tacit silence from the state government of Ebonyi State.
More worrisome is that there is a totally unprovoked, unwarranted and needless military resurgence in my community. Amasiri. Over the night, the military who are reportedly detailed from Nkwegu barracks reinvaded yet again my community, breaking homes, destroying properties, arresting the young and old and shooting sporadically in a totally peaceful area, without any news of any form of attacks from Amasiri or crisis in Amasiri, while leaving the aggressor, her Edda neighbouring Community. This unrest is reportedly aided, sponsored and coordinated by powerful politicians in Edda zone who have deployed their contacts in government to set the military at all cost against my people in Amasiri just as a bait to secure a major progrom or massacre of Amasiri people simply to achieve their agelong desire to take over her ancestral land.
The public is hereby notified that there is no crisis nor violence in Amasiri and her people have not in the list of ways behaved in any manner to warrant a military presence.
I am constrained to yet again call on Nigerians to speak against the ongoing needless military aggression and urge the Chief of Defence Staff and the Commandant Nkwegu Military Cantonment to withdrew the military operation in Amasiri, which is totally unwarranted and unprovoked, even as I prevail on the governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency Francis Ogbonnia Nwifuru to quickly intervene in this matter to save the lives and properties of the peaceful people of Amasiri.
The governor is here again informed that there is total unrest in Amasiri which is occasioned by the military; homes are deserted, farmlands are also not safe, economic activities have been halted as anxiety and tension now possess the hitherto quiet and peaceful land. The governor is urged to most urgently break the deafening silence and intervene in the matter to restore peace in Amasiri.
In a loud but very helpless voice, I urge the governor of Ebonyi State to quickly and directly address the situation personally as the Chief Security Officer of the state to curtail the ongoing intimidation, harassment and prevent a possible carnage on the defenceless and vulnerable people of Amasiri.
Let the whole world know that there was no reason for the resurgence or re-invassion of the military. The people have remained peaceful and have been attending all the peace meetings called for my the authorities in search of peace.
The military re-invasion in Amasiri remains unlawful, ill-motivated, self-serving, unwarranted, illegal, unprovoked and most be condemned by every Nigerian.
A concerned indigene.
M.O.Idam
(Public Interest Lawyer)
