The military deployment followed a communal conflict, but residents say the "shield" promised by the government has become a "sword."
Civil society groups under the aegis of Advocates for Good Governance have raised the alarm over what they described as "state-sponsored terror" and "collective punishment" being meted out to the people of Amasiri in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
In a damning statement released on Saturday and made available to SaharaReporters, the group alleged that a joint security task force deployed to the area on January 30, 2026, has abandoned its primary mandate of peacekeeping to engage in extrajudicial killings, arson, and the systematic destruction of livelihoods.
The military deployment followed a communal conflict, but residents say the "shield" promised by the government has become a "sword."
The petition, signed by the group’s leader, Onyedika Agbo, painted a gruesome picture of a community under siege. Following the imposition of a draconian 20-hour curfew, security operatives allegedly went on a rampage, burning residential buildings and destroying farm produce worth hundreds of millions of Naira.
"The Amasiri community has witnessed a descent into state-sponsored terror," the statement read.
"Their women, children, and elderly — many of whom are now displaced in the bushes —face a campaign of intimidation and violence that borders on collective punishment."
The group further alleged that peaceful female protesters were met with brutal force and gunfire, leading to civilian casualties.
“The primary objective of security forces should be to maintain stability... Instead, the people are witnessing the destruction of livelihoods and the shooting of peaceful protesters. When the hands meant to shield us become the swords that pierce us, the social contract is fundamentally broken,” the group lamented.
Beyond the physical violence, the group warned of an impending famine as the task force reportedly targeted stored farm produce for destruction.
The 20-hour curfew has also reportedly prevented the sick and elderly from accessing life-saving medical attention.
The advocates called out the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for his perceived silence as the crisis escalated.
"The silence from the government while Amasiri bleeds is not golden — it is a tacit connivance in the suffering of its own citizens," the statement charged. "What is the essence of the security forces if not for the protection of civilian lives and property?"
The Advocates for Good Governance are demanding: "an immediate investigation by Governor Nwifuru and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) into the conduct of the troops.
"Humanitarian access for media and aid organisations to reach those displaced in the bushes.
"The withdrawal of the joint task force or a total overhaul of their operational guidelines to prioritise civilian safety."
The group invited the international community and the media to witness the "terror of the past 72 hours," insisting that the world must know the level of "indiscriminate force" being applied against the Amasiri people.