…troops were deployed following the gruesome killing and beheading of four persons in Okporoji village,
EBONYI, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Troops of the Nigeria army has uncovered several shallow graves containing mutilated bodies of persons allegedly killed during the boundary clash between Amasiri community and Okporoji Oso Edda community in Ebonyi State.
Reacting to allegations of the militarisation of Amasiri, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Olabisi Ayeni, said the troops were deployed to enforce the curfew imposed by the state government and to protect lives and property, not to harass or intimidate residents.
He explained that credible intelligence had revealed multiple burial sites where victims, including adults and children, were secretly buried. According to him, the discovery highlights the magnitude of the crimes committed and justifies the need for a strong security presence to dismantle criminal networks and prevent further violence.
Ayeni stated that troops were deployed following the gruesome killing and beheading of four persons in Okporoji village, Edda Local Government Area, as well as the subsequent discovery of shallow graves with mutilated bodies in Amasiri. He noted that the atrocities necessitated urgent intervention to restore peace, protect innocent lives, and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
He further said the headquarters of the 82 Division had noted videos circulating on social media in which some journalists criticised the deployment of troops in Amasiri after the killing of residents in the Amasiri–Edda axis of Afikpo North Local Government Area. Ayeni described claims that the operation was an invasion as misleading and inaccurate.
According to him, the Ebonyi State Government, acting within its constitutional mandate to safeguard lives and property, imposed a curfew and temporarily shut schools in Amasiri to prevent further escalation and ensure public safety.
He added that security agencies were deployed to enforce the curfew, support ongoing investigations, protect medical personnel, and manage the humanitarian consequences of the crisis. The joint operation, involving the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, has been carrying out intelligence-led patrols, cordon-and-search operations, and forensic exhumations.
Ayeni stressed that the deployment of troops was not directed at the people of Amasiri but at criminal elements exploiting communal tensions to carry out heinous acts, adding that the operation remains professional, intelligence-driven, and coordinated with local leaders to ensure transparency and accountability.
