Security Agencies have uncovered shallow graves containing mutilated corpses in Amasiri Community, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The discovery was disclosed on Sunday by Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Lieutenant Colonel and Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, in an official statement.
The findings come amid heightened tension arising from a long-standing boundary dispute between Amasiri and neighbouring Okporojo village in Oso-Edda Community, Edda Local Government Area, a conflict that has reportedly claimed several lives over the years.
According to the statement, the graves were discovered during a joint security operation launched in response to recent violent attacks in the area.
Amasiri in Afikpo North and Okporojo in Edda Local Government Area have been locked in a boundary dispute spanning decades, resulting in repeated outbreaks of violence, loss of lives and destruction of property worth millions of naira. Efforts by successive Ebonyi State administrations to resolve the conflict have so far proved unsuccessful.
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On January 29, 2026 gunmen suspected came from Amasiri allegedly attacked Okporojo village, killing four persons. Another resident who sustained gunshot injuries during the incident later died.
Following the attack, Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, announced sweeping measures against Amasiri community. These included the dismissal of all political appointees from the area, the imposition of a 20-hour curfew, closure of schools and government facilities, dissolution of all community leadership structures, and the dethronement of two traditional rulers.
The State Government also forwarded a bill to the State House of Assembly seeking the repeal of the law establishing the Amasiri Development Centre, while large numbers of security personnel were deployed to track down those responsible for the killings.
Subsequently, more than 10 persons were arrested, including the suspended Coordinator of the Amasiri Development Centre, Baron Anya, and two traditional rulers Ezeugo Bassey Onya Idam of Amasiri Autonomous Community and Ezeogo Godfrey Obia Oko of Ndukwe Kingdom.
Last week, some Amasiri stakeholders condemned the military deployment, describing it as an “invasion,” and called on the governor to lift what they termed an ongoing siege and curfew. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, they alleged human rights abuses by security agencies and said the restrictions had made daily life difficult for residents.
However, the military dismissed the allegations, stating that the operation was based on credible intelligence. Lieutenant Colonel Ayeni said the intervention followed the killing of residents in Okporojo and intelligence reports indicating the presence of multiple burial sites in Amasiri.
He explained that troops, working alongside other security agencies, were deployed to restore peace, protect civilians and ensure those responsible for the violence are brought to justice.
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The Army rejected claims circulating on social media that the deployment amounted to an invasion, describing such narratives as false and misleading. It said the scale and severity of the crimes uncovered necessitated a robust security response.
According to the statement, joint teams comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps are currently conducting intelligence-led patrols, cordon-and-search operations and forensic exhumations, while also providing security for medical and investigative personnel.
The military stressed that the operation is not directed at the people of Amasiri but at criminal elements exploiting communal tensions to perpetrate violent acts. It added that the exercise is being carried out professionally and in collaboration with local leaders to ensure transparency and accountability.
The statement reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to the protection of lives and property and urged the public to disregard misinformation and support ongoing efforts to restore peace in Afikpo North and surrounding communities.
