The Nigerian Army’s 82 Division has issued a press statement clarifying that the security operation in Amasiri, Ebonyi State, is a joint effort aimed at protecting innocent citizens, not an invasion as claimed by some social media reports.
The statement, signed by Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, explained that troops were deployed to Amasiri in response to the killing and beheading of four individuals in Okporojo village, Edda LGA, and the discovery of shallow graves containing mutilated bodies.
The statement emphasized that the operation is intelligence-led, professional, and conducted in partnership with local leadership to ensure transparency and accountability, and is aimed at dismantling criminal networks and preventing further violence.
The Statement reads: “The attention of the Headquarters, 82 Division Nigerian Army (NA), has been drawn to some videos currently circulating on social media, featuring journalists condemning the deployment of troops in Amasiri following the killing of innocent citizens in Amasiri–Edda community, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
“The intervention of the NA and other security agencies in Amasiri is not an invasion as characterised by these videos. This narrative is misleading and does not reflect the true purpose of the operation”.
“Troops were deployed as a direct response to the gruesome killings and beheadings of four individuals in Okporojo village, Edda LGA, and subsequent discoveries of shallow graves containing mutilated bodies in Amasiri. These atrocities demanded urgent intervention to restore peace, protect innocent lives, and bring perpetrators to justice.
“The Ebonyi State Government, in line with its constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property, therefore imposed a curfew and temporarily closed schools in Amasiri to prevent escalation and ensure public safety.
“The security agencies were deployed to enforce the curfew, ensure uninterrupted investigations and security operations, protect medical teams, and manage the humanitarian implications of the crisis.
“The joint teams comprising the NA, Nigerian Police, Department of State Security, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have been conducting intelligence-driven patrols, cordon-and-search operations, and forensic exhumations in the affected areas. Credible intelligence has further revealed multiple sites where victims were buried, including adults and children.
“The discovery of these graves underscores the scale of the crimes committed and the necessity of a robust security presence to dismantle criminal networks and prevent further violence.
“It is important to stress that the deployment of troops is not targeted at the people of Amasiri but at criminal elements exploiting communal tensions to perpetrate heinous crimes. The operation is intelligence-led, professional, and conducted in partnership with local leadership to ensure transparency and accountability.
“The NA and sister agencies remain committed to protecting all citizens without bias. The intervention will continue until peace is fully restored, perpetrators are apprehended and justice is served.
“The public is urged to kindly disregard misinformation and support ongoing efforts to secure Afikpo North and neighboring communities”.
Ebonyi mayhem: Nigerian Army clarifies Amasiri security operation, denies invasion claims
