A public interest lawyer, Mr. M.O. Idam, has appealed to the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Ogbonnia Nwifuru, the National Security Adviser (NSA), and the Chief of Defence Staff to halt what he described as the unlawful mass arrest and victimisation of people from Amasiri communities in Ebonyi State.
In a petition dated January 31, 2026, Idam condemned the reported arrest of several Amasiri residents by military personnel and the alleged dismissal and dethronement of government appointees and traditional rulers of Amasiri extraction, following an attack on properties and residents of Oso Community.
The lawyer expressed concern over a viral press statement attributed to the governor, announcing sweeping punitive measures against Amasiri communities, which he said were based on assumptions rather than verified facts.
According to him, the actions taken against the communities amount to an abuse of executive power and a violation of constitutional rights, stressing that no credible investigation had established that the perpetrators of the alleged attack on Oso Community came from Amasiri.
Idam noted that Amasiri communities had no existing grievance with Oso dwellers and, in fact, played a key role in promoting peace, including championing a December 2025 peace accord aimed at maintaining calm pending the government’s final resolution of the conflict.
He further argued that the timing of the alleged attack raised serious questions, as the period between January 25 and 31 is traditionally reserved for burial ceremonies in Amasiri communities, during which residents are culturally restricted from travelling or engaging in other activities.
The lawyer warned that the governor’s approach to managing the conflict could worsen tensions, destabilise the affected communities, and trigger broader insecurity within the state if not urgently reviewed.
He appealed to the NSA and the Chief of Defence Staff to intervene by discouraging the deployment of military personnel against what he described as defenceless communities and to ensure the immediate release of innocent persons allegedly arrested from their homes and places of business.
Idam also called on the Ebonyi State Government to reverse the dismissal of Amasiri indigenes from government positions and to reinstate the affected traditional rulers, warning that failure to do so could lead to further unrest and economic disruption.
He urged all parties to adopt dialogue, fairness, and due process as the only sustainable means of restoring peace and confidence among the affected communities.
