The people of Idima autonomous community in Edda Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi state Friday raised the alarm over the constant attack and killing of their people by suspected warlords from Amasiri in Afikpo LGA.

The President General of the community, Comrade Nkama Okoro Agha, and the Chairman of Okporojo Development Union, Hon Imo Samuel Oduko, disclosed this in a press briefing in Abakaliki.

Emphasising on their losses in difference attacks on their people including the killing of six persons from the community, a pregnant woman and her little child, the community leaders called on governor Francis Nwifuru to intervene.

Meanwhile, the state government had on Wednesday declared the disputed area a buffer zone.

The declaration was made during a stakeholders meeting in Ogo Amangwu Ezeke, Amasiri.

Chairman of Afikpo LGA, Engr. Timothy Nwachi, according to the statement released by his media group, summoned the meeting to admonish the people on the need to embrace peaceful resolution of the matter.

He was said to have announced the declaration of the state government on the land at the meeting,badvising Ndigbo Ndukwe Amasiri to stay clay from the disputed land.

However, Mr. Okoro while addressing journalist said, “We the people of Okporojo in Idima Autonomous Community in Edda LGA of Ebonyi State totally condemn this unfortunate attack launched by the Amasiri against our people.

“This attack which consumed the lives of our people, the Okporojo innocent citizens including a pregnant woman and her little child, and even a resident in our community who came from Ukpa in Afikpo LGA were murdered by the Amasiri warlords last Saturday 5th April 2025.

“As this seemed to be not enough, the Amasiri militias have continued to launch attacks, destroying property worth millions of Naira in the Okporojo community just because of the land dispute.

“Remember that on the 6th of February 2023, the people of Amasiri invaded Okporojo and abducted our harmless people including Oko Agwu Ama, Dick Ama Oduko, and David Oko Arusi who were working and searching for their green pastures in their farms and up till date, we have not seen them returned home, we don’t know whether they are still alive or dead.

“After the abduction, the Amasiri militias came to Okporojo Edda village, started destroying our properties and even beheaded one Chima Orji in our village. The said Chima Orji was buried without his head after his death as a result of the unfortunate invasion launched by the Amasiri world lords against our people.

“On this note, we appeal to Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State to urgently swing into action to stop this attack against our people, by ensuring issues lingering on the disputing land are being settled to save the lives and properties of innocent citizens.

“We, are not comfortable with the way the Amasiri militias have been engaged by their sponsors to destroy lives and properties of our people since 2023. We are toeing the lines of peace because of the bold steps so far you have taken as a governor to ensure Ebonyi is a crisis-free state since the assumption of your office.”

Lending his voice, the Chairman of Okporojo Development Union, Hon Imo Samuel Oduko said the land in dispute belongs to Okporojo, Idima Edda community, stressing that, his people have been living there “before Amasiri people were hired by our forefathers to work for them, and set traps in their farms, through which they continued settling within the area.

“The disputable land is our land, which we inherited from our forefathers. We are surprised that our forefathers, the original landlords of the land in dispute, during their lifetime hired Amasiri people to work for them and set animal traps in their farms but now, our hired workers and tenants have turned to fight against us, the landlords.

“We are calling on the Ebonyi State governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru and other relevant authorities to come to our aid because these Amasiri warlords have continued to launch deathly attacks on our people and this is not acceptable.”

Oduko said the claims by Ndukwe Amasiri people in some quarters, that Okporojo Edda people had waged a reprisal attack on their community were a mere fabrication, and insisted that the Okporojo people had never involved themselves in abduction, destruction of lives and properties in the area.