Amasiri residents petition National Assembly over alleged rights violations
By Anne Agbi Residents of Amasiri, a community in Afikpo Local Government Area(LGA) of Ebonyi State, have petitioned the National Assembly over alleged human rights violations by the Ebonyi State
By Anne Agbi
Residents of Amasiri, a community in Afikpo Local Government Area(LGA) of Ebonyi State, have petitioned the National Assembly over alleged human rights violations by the Ebonyi State Government and security agencies.
In the petition dated March 11 and addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, and House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, the residents accused the government, the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) of carrying out unlawful operations in the autonomous communities in the community.
The petition was filed by M.O. Idam Attorneys on behalf of the residents, represented by Lawrence Ikpe, Idam Amadi Idam, Mr. Philip Eze, Mr. Emmanuel Ekuma, and Mr. Oko Agha.
The petitioners alleged that the security operations in the heels of a curfew imposed by Governor Francis Nwifuru, resulted in extra-judicial killings , unlawful blockage of federal highways, closure of schools and markets as well as destruction of homes and cultural heritage.
According to the petitioners, members of the affected villages in their communities are facing severe hardship as a result of the operations, which they claim have disrupted daily life and restricted access to basic services.
They alleged that the villagers have been subjected to military brutality and that several innocent people have been killed in the course of the operations. The petitioners further claimed that schools in the community have been shut down, preventing schoolchildren from sitting for national examinations, while access to medical facilities has also been hindered.
A part of the petition by M.O. Idam Attorneys reads: “In palpable helplessness, we respectfully submit this petition to the National Assembly of Nigeria on behalf of our clients, citizens of Nigeria whose constitutional protections are gravely threatened.
‘’Our clients have found themselves in circumstances where their fundamental rights, as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, are being undermined through the actions and operations of state authorities and security agencies.
“Our clients and members of their communities are presently subjected to military brutality, extrajudicial killings, and the destruction of private homes and cultural heritage sites. Residents have been denied access to schools and medical facilities, while their children have been prevented from participating in national examinations.”
The petition also alleged that federal highways passing through the community have been blocked, a development the residents said has severely affected movement, economic activities, and access to essential services.
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In addition, the petitioners accused security operatives of destroying private homes and looting ancestral relics and artefacts belonging to the community.
They explained that the situation is linked to a long-standing boundary dispute between Amasiri and the neighbouring Oso-Edda communities of Edda over ownership of a farm settlement known as Okporojo.
According to the petitioners, Amasiri and Os-Edda have been involved in boundary disagreements spanning several generations, with the conflict occasionally resulting in retaliatory attacks and loss of lives and property on both sides.
The petitioners argued that the present situation has escalated beyond communal tensions, alleging that the response by security agencies has led to widespread suffering among innocent residents.
Their petition added: “For clarity, the background to this petition is predicated on the longstanding boundary dispute between the Amasiri and Oso-Edda. Both communities share a protracted history of boundary disputes that have persisted across several generations.
“Over the decades, these disputes have led to repeated retaliatory attacks, with each community regrettably suffering the loss of lives and destruction of property on multiple occasions. The present situation, however, has escalated beyond communal tensions into what our clients describe as large-scale military operations that have resulted in grave humanitarian consequences for innocent civilians.”
The residents, therefore, called on the National Assembly to investigate the allegations and intervene in the situation to ensure the protection of their constitutional rights and restoration of peace in Amasiri.
