Ebonyi Land Dispute: Six Killed in Renewed Clash Between Amasiri and Okporojo Communities

At least six people have been confirmed dead following a violent resurgence of a longstanding land dispute between Ndukwe community in Amasiri, Afikpo LGA, and Okporojo in Osso Edda LGA of Ebonyi State.

The attack also resulted in the destruction of properties worth millions of naira, heightening tensions across the affected areas.

Decades-Long Land Dispute Erupts Again in Ebonyi State

The renewed violence, which stems from a decades-old land boundary dispute, has forced residents of Edda LGA to avoid the Amasiri road for fear of further attacks.

Many commuters now travel through Afikpo town for safety.

According to a source from Okporojo, the deceased victims were from their community and were allegedly killed by attackers from neighboring Amasiri.

However, the identities of the assailants have not been independently verified as of the time of reporting.

Security Agencies Deployed as Government Moves to Restore Peace

Chairman of Edda LGA, Hon. Chima Ekumankama, confirmed the killings and widespread destruction in Okporojo Idima.

He assured the public that security operatives have been deployed to the area to restore calm.

“I can assure you that normalcy and peace have returned to the area. I visited the scene and witnessed the level of destruction. As we speak, there are enough security personnel in the area to prevent further violence,” Ekumankama said.

He also praised Governor Francis Nwifuru for his prompt intervention and deployment of forces to stabilise the situation.

Similarly, Chairman of Afikpo LGA, Hon. Timothy Nwachi, confirmed that a buffer zone had been created through the deployment of security personnel to de-escalate tensions between both communities.

He described the attacks as “unfortunate” and called for calm, especially from the people of Amasiri, as they await further action from the state government.

Previous Government Efforts on the Land Dispute Unimplemented

Despite previous efforts, including a white paper issued by the past administration, the lack of implementation has allowed the crisis to fester.

The recommendations from a government-appointed committee have yet to be fully enforced, resulting in repeated violent outbreaks.

Police Yet to Confirm Attack

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Joshua Ukandu, said he had not been officially briefed on the incident at the time of filing this report.