Ebonyi Crisis: Rights Groups Accuse Military Task Force of Killings, Arson in Amasiri
By SUNTV Global Channel | February 7, 2026
Civil society organisations have raised fresh alarm over alleged human rights abuses by a joint military task force deployed to Amasiri community in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, accusing security operatives of extrajudicial killings, arson and what they described as “state-sponsored terror.”
The allegations were made by Advocates for Good Governance in a statement released on Saturday, following the deployment of troops to the area after a communal conflict. Residents say the security presence, initially presented as a protective measure, has instead plunged the community into fear and devastation.
According to the group, since the arrival of the task force on January 30, 2026, Amasiri has been subjected to a harsh 20-hour curfew, alongside what it called a campaign of collective punishment against civilians. Homes were allegedly set ablaze, farmlands destroyed, and stored farm produce worth hundreds of millions of naira ruined.
“The shield promised by the government has become a sword,” the group said, describing scenes of women, children and elderly residents fleeing into nearby bushes to escape violence.
In a statement signed by its leader, Onyedika Agbo, Advocates for Good Governance alleged that peaceful female protesters were confronted with gunfire and brutal force, resulting in civilian casualties.
“When the hands meant to protect the people become the instruments of fear, the social contract is fundamentally broken,” the statement read. “Instead of restoring peace, livelihoods are being destroyed and innocent civilians are paying the price.”
Beyond the immediate violence, the group warned of an emerging humanitarian crisis. With farms and food stores reportedly targeted, the community now faces the threat of hunger and famine. The prolonged curfew has also allegedly prevented the sick and elderly from accessing urgent medical care.
The advocates criticised Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, over what they described as official silence in the face of the unfolding crisis.
“The silence of the government while Amasiri bleeds is not golden; it suggests tacit approval of the suffering of its own people,” the group said, questioning the purpose of deploying security forces if civilian lives and property are not protected.
Advocates for Good Governance is demanding an immediate and independent investigation into the conduct of the deployed troops by the Ebonyi State Government and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The group also called for unrestricted humanitarian and media access to displaced residents and either the withdrawal of the joint task force or a complete overhaul of its operational rules to prioritise civilian safety.
The organisation further appealed to the international community and local media to pay attention to events in Amasiri, urging observers to bear witness to what it described as “indiscriminate force” unleashed on the community over the past 72 hours.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ebonyi State Government and the Nigerian military authorities had not issued an official response to the allegations.
