Security operatives in Ebonyi State have uncovered multiple graves containing mutilated bodies linked to the recent boundary conflict between the Amasiri and Okporojo Oso Edda communities, the Nigerian Army has confirmed.
The discovery was disclosed by Lt Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division, while responding to allegations that the military was harassing residents of Amasiri.
According to Lt Col Ayeni, intelligence revealed burial sites containing both adults and children, highlighting the scale of the violence and the need for a robust security presence.
“Troops were deployed as a direct response to the gruesome killings and beheadings of four individuals in Okporojo village, and subsequent discoveries of shallow graves in Amasiri. These atrocities demanded urgent intervention to restore peace, protect lives, and bring perpetrators to justice,” he said.
Ayeni emphasised that the military deployment was not an invasion and aimed solely at enforcing the curfew, protecting residents, supporting medical teams, and facilitating forensic investigations.
The joint security team, comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Security, and NSCDC, has been conducting intelligence-driven patrols, cordon-and-search operations, and exhumations in affected areas.
He further clarified that the curfew and temporary school closures imposed by the Ebonyi State government were part of measures to prevent escalation and safeguard public safety.
“The operation targets criminal elements exploiting communal tensions, not the people of Amasiri. It is intelligence-led, professional, and conducted with local leadership to ensure transparency and accountability,” Ayeni said.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to protecting all citizens without bias, stating that operations will continue until peace is fully restored, perpetrators are apprehended, and justice is served.
