Ebonyi killing: Nwifuru sacks commissioner, other appointees, monarchs, imposes curfew

.Charges security agencies to recover beheaded persons

JACOB OGODO, Abakaliki

Following the renewed attack on the Okporojo people of Edda, leading to the gruesome murder and beheading of four persons, Ebonyi state governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru has ordered the law enforcement agencies to recover the beheaded heads of the victims of Okporojo crisis at all costs.

The governor also announced the imposition of a curfew in Amasiri with immediate effects and all markets, shops, businesses, quarries, banks should shut down from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m. every day.

Governor Nwifuru gave those directives after an emergency meeting of the Ebonyi State Security Council which was held yesterday at the governor’s office, Centenary city, Abakaliki.

He also ordered the immediate removal of all government appointees from Amasiri community of the state and dethronment of all the traditional rulers in the Community.

Those affected include members of the State Executive Council, management committee members, and other political appointees who hail from the community.

Traditional rulers from Amasiri, suspected to be connected to the killings, have also been dethroned.

The governor further approved the immediate dissolution of the Town Union Executive and Village Heads, as well as the withdrawal of certificates of recognition and staffs of office from the affected traditional rulers.

Governor Nwifuru directed all affected individuals to immediately hand over all government properties in their possession, including official vehicles, to the Secretary to the State Government.

The visibly angered governor, who visited Edda community, the victims of the massacre, described the incident as unimaginable, lamenting how people could be brutally killed, beheaded, and their heads taken away.

He appealed to the grieving community to remain calm and allow the government to apply the full weight of the law on the perpetrators.

He promised the mourning Edda community that his administration would renew their community and would by same time next year come to share with them the new, renewed Edda community.

“Accordingly, all government and private schools in Amasiri Development Center and in Amasiri clan are hereby closed down and all teachers are to be posted to other schools in other communities.

“As from Monday morning(today), there will be no school in Amasiri and there will be no development center in Amasiri.

“The council also directed the government to impose a curfew in Amasiri with immediate effect and all markets, shops, businesses, quarries, banks should shut down from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m. every day.

“The government agreed with the directive of the council to impose a curfew in Amasiri from 2 p.m. to 10 a.m. every day.

“The council also directed the law enforcement agencies to recover the beheaded heads of the victims of Okporojo crisis at all costs.

The council also directed the law enforcement agency to implement the council’s resolution with immediate effect.