Chidinma Iroegbu
Princess Joy Omagha Idam, former Assistant Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Council and publisher of Weekenders magazine, on Thursday appealed to President Bola Tinubu and relevant authorities to intervene in what she described as the mounting persecution of Amasiri community in Ebonyi State.
Addressing a world press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Utako, Abuja, Idam alleged that the Ebonyi State Government deployed military personnel to Amasiri without lawful justification, disrupted schooling, and subjected residents to intimidation linked to long-standing ancestral land disputes.
She further alleged that Amasiri, in Afikpo North Local Government Area, was excluded from the list of 64 Development Centres in the state following an executive order, a bill recently passed by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly an action she said effectively stripped the community of official recognition.
Idam claimed that despite petitions and peace overtures, residents had continued to face killings, abductions and threats, warning that the situation had degenerated into a humanitarian concern requiring urgent national attention.
The press briefing featured senior media figures at the high table, including Hajiya Halima Hamza, a veteran journalist; Huison Efosa Akugbe of The Sun Newspapers; James Okoronkwo; and Idam.
Responding to questions on representation and verification of alleged threats attributed to the governor, Idam affirmed her standing as a daughter of Amasiri, insisting she had the mandate to speak for her people and would provide video evidence to support her claims.
She disclosed that more than 30 youths were allegedly arrested during the operation, while many residents fled to nearby forests, leaving mostly elderly persons in the community. She also alleged that peaceful protests by women were forcefully dispersed, resulting in fatalities.
On the legal basis for the military presence, Idam argued that there was no internal conflict warranting such action, accusing the state government of targeting residents through arrests, school exclusions, and detention of community leaders, including traditional rulers.
She added that while Amasiri elites had reached out to the National Assembly, attacks allegedly persisted, citing reported incidents dating back to January 20, 2026.
Idam concluded by urging President Tinubu, security authorities, human rights bodies and the media to act swiftly, calling for the withdrawal of soldiers, restoration of local governance structures, reopening of schools, and a transparent boundary demarcation process, pledging to release documentary evidence of the alleged violations.