Dear Chinedu Ogah,
Your recent dismissal of the genocide allegation against the governor of Ebonyi state, His Excellency Rt Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, regarding the mishandling of the land dispute between Amasiri and Oso Eda demands a factual and befitting response, in order to expose the insensitivity and inherent falsehood in your statement, and put the issue in proper perspective.
Over the years, the people of Amasiri have persistently endured unmitigated hardship and injustice from the mishandling of the communal crisis between it and its neighbours by the administration of Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.
It’s on record that following the crisis arising from the land dispute between Amasiri and Oso Eda, the Governor imposed a twenty hour curfew on Amasiri on the 31st January, 2026 and immediately ordered the deployment of soldiers to the town to enforce the curfew. In enforcement of the illegal curfew, the Governor ordered the shutting down of schools, hospitals, markets and all commercial activities in Amasiri. He also redeployed all government employees in Amasiri to other locations.
Since the illegal and unjust occupation of Amasiri by soldiers, scores of people have been shot by the army of occupation. The soldiers break into people’s home at will and abduct innocent people. They subject them to all forms of torture with the hope of extracting forced confessions from them for offences which they are innocent of.
People with terminal illness and others requiring medical attention have not been able to get the required medical care, thus dying at home from illnesses that could have been treated. The people of Amasiri are now living under bondage, terror and servitude in their ancestral land.
Your callous position describing the extra judicial killings, suffering, displacement, loss of lives, destruction of homes, prolonged curfews, closures of schools, hospitals and markets as mere “baseless” or “spurious” claims, is not only dishonest, deceitful and mendacious, but has also exposed your insensitivity and total detachment from the reality on the ground. When last did you visit Amasiri? Our claim of genocide in Amasiri is real. It is not just for theatrics or to whip up sentiments or score cheap political points.
The allegation stems from patterns of actions and inactions that have disproportionately impacted Amasiri. When security interventions result in civilian casualties, mass displacement, economic strangulation, and sustained trauma without reprieve and transparent accountability, citizens have a right to question the merit, motive and justification of government’s decisions.
If probe panels were constituted to look into the crisis, the public deserves to know:
Were the findings made public? Why rush to alienate Amasiri? What happened to all the petitions filed by Amasiri over the years, in respect of the boundary dispute and killing of Amasiri indigenes? None of our petitions were ever attended to.
Victims in Amasiri were never consulted. Those responsible for the violence suffered by Amasiri were never held accountable.
Why were punitive measures imposed on Amasiri alone? Why didn’t the governor take similar actions against Oso Edda?
Declaring that peace has “largely returned” does not erase the pain or the losses suffered. Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means, while being fair and just to all parties involved in the conflict. But has the Governor been fair and just in the handling of the conflict? Can there really be true and enduring peace in the absence of justice, restitution, and trust in leadership?
It is also important to note that highlighting scholarships, infrastructure, or empowerment programmes — commendable as they may be — does not invalidate the grievances of a community that believes it has been unfairly treated, despite being the community that remits the highest revenue to the state.
Developmental projects is not a substitute for justice. Your call for apology should not be directed at those raising concerns over injustice. You should rather direct your focus towards demanding for a transparent and dispassionate investigation of the crisis and the killings on both sides.
Are you aware that Amasiri is now a ghost town? Over half of the members of the town have deserted the town. People are being shot indiscriminately by the army of occupation. Hospitals that should treat those with gunshot wounds remain closed on the governor’s order. Presently, the only functional activity in Amasiri is the quarry that has been daily carting away our natural resources. Over twenty people have so far died in less than a month and you are insensitively claiming there’s no genocide. The normal thing for you to do will be to call on the Governor to do the needful by totally lifting the curfew and allowing the reopening of all infrastructures.
Rather than dismissing voices like that of Princess Joy Idam as uninformed, a more constructive approach would have been to invite independent observers, civil society organisations, and human rights bodies to conduct impartial assessments and to also consult the National Boundaries Commission to provide what they have in their records.
Responsible leadership demands that you not only defend an administration, but you also listen to the pains of the citizens— especially when it comes from your constituents and the people you swore an oath to defend and protect.
The Amasiri people demand for:
Independent investigation
Public accountability
Fair conflict resolution
Restoration of destroyed property worth billions,
Guarantees against future disproportionate force.
Immediate demarcation of areas in contention.
History teaches us that unresolved communal wounds deepen over time. Addressing them dispassionately and sincerely strengthens, not weakens, governance credibility.
This is not about political rivalry. It is about justice, equity, human dignity, and the protection of all citizens, Amasiri inclusive.
While it is gratifying that the governor has relaxed the curfew, but it is still not good enough. He should reopen all schools, hospitals and markets, and use the same soldiers occupying the town to ensure security. Our children deserve to be in school, while the elderly and the sick need to visit the hospital.
Finally, when Nwifuru was Speaker of the State House of Assembly and Dave Umahi was governor, there was a violent boundary dispute between Izzi and Ikwo, resulting into loss of lives on both sides. Was the issue between Izzi and Ikwo handled this same way? Did Dave Umahi deploy soldiers to Izzi and impose a curfew on any of the waring communities?
No school, hospital or market was closed. There was no abrogation of Development Institution, no Traditional Institution was abolished, no Traditional Leader was deposed or arrested in Izzi or Ikwo.
The Governor and the state owe Amasiri an apology.
Respectfully.
Princess Joy Omagha Idam,
Publisher
Weekenders magazine
Concerned Amasiri Daughter
