By Abasi Ita
Security operatives in Ebonyi State have uncovered multiple shallow graves containing mutilated bodies in Amasiri community, following deadly clashes over boundary disputes with Okporojo Oso Edda community.
Lt. Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 82 Division, said troops were deployed to enforce a curfew declared by the Ebonyi State Government and to protect lives and property, not to intimidate residents.
“Credible intelligence revealed several burial sites containing adults and children. The discovery underscores the scale of the crimes and the need for robust security intervention to prevent further violence,” Ayeni said.
The operation follows the beheadings of four individuals in Okporojo village, Edda Local Government Area, which prompted urgent deployment of troops to restore peace and bring perpetrators to justice.
Addressing social media reports alleging militarization of Amasiri, Ayeni called the claims misleading, stressing that the operation targets criminal elements exploiting communal tensions, not the community at large.
Security teams, including the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, Department of State Services, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, have conducted intelligence-driven patrols, cordon-and-search operations, and forensic exhumations in affected areas.
Ayeni affirmed that the military and other security agencies remain committed to professional, transparent operations in partnership with local leaders, adding that the intervention will continue until peace is fully restored and justice is served.