Amasiri traders urge Nwifuru to heed Tinubu’s advice
Amasiri traders in the Diaspora have urged Ebonyi State Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to heed the advice of President Bola Tinubu on the crisis between their community and Edda people
- By Chinyere Okoroafor
Amasiri traders in the Diaspora have urged Ebonyi State Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru to heed the advice of President Bola Tinubu on the crisis between their community and Edda people over ownership of Okporojo, a farm settlement
The traders, in s atatement by their Chairman, Edwin Oko Okpara, and Secretary Agwu Aleke, recalled that President Tinubu on February 23, this year, admonished Nwifuru to “temper justice with mercy” over the crisis that resulted in the loss of lives and arson.
Addressing reporters in Lagos at the weekend, the traders said the President’s admonition remained the most practical path to restoring lasting peace between the Amasiri and Edda people.
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They quoted the President as saying, “Ebonyi Governor, I have read about the crisis in your state. Temper justice with mercy,” after an interfaith session to break Ramadan and Lenten fast at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The group expressed concern that weeks after the appeal, the situation in Amasiri, where the curfew had been imposed two months ago, had led to deaths in the community and a humanitarian crisis. They added that the continued curfew and other sanctions on the community had deepened hardship.
The traders described the curfew as “punitive,” alleging it had crippled economic and social activities.
“Schools, markets, churches and hospitals remain largely shut, while our people continue to suffer untold hardship,” they said.
The traders also faulted the sanctions imposed on the community, including the removal of political appointees, traditional rulers and dissolution of local leadership structures, saying they were carried out without due investigation.
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They further alleged that the heavy security presence in the community had worsened the situation, with many residents displaced and properties destroyed.
“Our people are living in fear. Many have fled their homes, and those who remain face daily uncertainty,” said the traders..
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The group also raised concerns over reported deaths linked to restricted movement and limited access to healthcare.
Calling for urgent intervention, the traders appealed to the governor to adopt a more conciliatory approach in line with the President’s directive.
“Our request is simple: heed the President’s advice, lift the curfew and allow our people to breathe,” they said.They also called for the release of the detained traditional rulers of the community and indigenes, the setting up of an independent panel of inquiry into the violence and the provision of relief materials to affected residents.
In addition, they urged the National Boundary Commission to step in and address the lingering boundary dispute between Amasiri and Edda communities, insisting it remained key to achieving lasting peace.
