By Amara Ehia, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Council of Elders has strongly condemned the gruesome killing of four persons in Okporojo community, Edda Local Government Area, describing the incident as unprecedented and deeply disturbing.
Chairman of the council, Engr. Ben Okah on Monday made the condemnation while addressing journalists after an emergency meeting of the elders in Abakaliki, following renewed violence involving Okporojo, Oso Edda Community in Edda local government and Amasiri Community in Afikpo local government area.
Okah said the council received briefings from affected communities as well as from Governor Francis Nwifuru’s address during a church service, noting that the attack occurred at a time the governor was already intervening to resolve what he described as “minor boundary issues” between the communities.
“We strongly condemn the gruesome murder of four persons in Okporojo by the Amasiri community. This type of incident has never happened in Ebonyi State, particularly in an elite area with many educated leaders,” Okah said.
He described the burning of an entire village and the beheading of residents as “appalling and unacceptable,” adding that the incident had brought the state into negative national attention.
“The action taken by Amasiri is totally condemnable. Whether provoked or not, it is indescribable and unprecedented in the history of Ebonyi State,” he added.
The council expressed full support for the resolutions reached by the State Security Council, comprising the military, police and other security agencies, saying the governor’s actions were necessary to deter similar crimes in the future.
“We listened carefully to the governor’s speech and we strongly support all the measures taken. They are meant to serve as a deterrent to any community that may contemplate such inhuman acts against fellow citizens,” Okah said.
He stressed that Ebonyi State has established legal and administrative channels for resolving communal disputes, questioning why violence was resorted to despite ongoing government intervention.
According to him, the security conditions imposed on Amasiri community—including the removal of traditional rulers, dissolution of community leadership, closure of schools and government offices, and the imposition of a curfew—must be fully complied with before any dialogue can begin.
“The nature of this attack demands that the conditions set by the Security Council must first be met. Only then can meaningful discussions take place,” he stated.
Okah added that the government had also put measures in place to prevent reprisal attacks from neighbouring communities, while allowing restricted movement on major roads under strict security supervision.
He urged residents to obey government directives, noting that schools were closed strictly for safety reasons amid heightened tension in the area.
The council called on other communities in the state with unresolved disputes to embrace dialogue and lawful processes, warning that violence would only derail Ebonyi’s ongoing efforts toward peace and development.
“We appeal to all communities to support the governor’s actions and work with the government to maintain peace as Ebonyi strives to keep pace with development in other states,” Okah said.
