Diaspora Group Urges Action on Ebonyi Boundary Dispute

A diaspora group has called on Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru to reconsider his handling of a long-standing boundary dispute between the Amasiri and Edda communities. The group's chairman, Edwin Oko Okpara, spoke on behalf of the secretary, Agwu Abraham, emphasizing the need for peace restoration in Amasiri.

The appeal follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's earlier remarks expressing concern over the ongoing crisis, which has worsened since a violent clash at the Okporojo Farm Settlement on January 29, resulting in multiple deaths and property destruction. In response, the Ebonyi State government imposed a curfew, which has exacerbated the hardships faced by residents, including the closure of schools, markets, and hospitals.

The group criticized the sanctions imposed on the community, including the removal of political appointees and the dissolution of local leadership structures, insisting these actions were taken without proper investigation. They called for the urgent lifting of the curfew, the release of detained traditional rulers, and the establishment of an independent inquiry into the violence, while also appealing to the National Boundary Commission for intervention in the ongoing dispute.