Ebonyi State authorities and security operatives have uncovered multiple shallow graves containing mutilated bodies in Amasiri community, a development linked to the ongoing boundary conflict with Okporojo Oso Edda community.
Lt. Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, disclosed that the graves, which include both adults and children, highlight the severity of the violence and underscore the need for sustained security measures.
According to Ayeni, troops were deployed to enforce a state-imposed curfew and protect lives and property, following the beheadings of four residents in Okporojo village, Edda Local Government Area.
He stressed that the operation is aimed at dismantling criminal networks exploiting the boundary dispute, not intimidating local residents.
“The intervention of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies is not an invasion,” Ayeni said, responding to videos circulating on social media that criticised the military presence in Amasiri.
“These reports misrepresent the true purpose of the operation, which is to restore peace, secure the area, and support investigations.”
The curfew, which included the temporary closure of schools, was imposed by the Ebonyi State Government to prevent further escalation and ensure public safety.
Joint security teams from the Army, Police, Department of State Security, and Civil Defence Corps have been conducting patrols, cordon-and-search operations, and forensic exhumations in the affected communities.
Ayeni further emphasised that the deployment targets criminal elements responsible for the atrocities, and not the general populace.
“The Nigerian Army and allied agencies remain committed to protecting all citizens without bias,” he added.
“Security operations will continue until peace is restored, the perpetrators are apprehended, and justice is served.”