Gov. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi has announced that schools will remain shut in Amasiri community of Afikpo Local Government Area in spite of the relaxation of curfew in the area.

Amasiri was recently involved in a renewed land dispute with neighbouring Okporojo, in Oso community of Edda LGA which led to several deaths and destruction of several property.

The killings assumed a gruesome dimension with the attackers beheading four of the victims and escaping with the severed heads.

Nwifuru, during a visit to the area on Jan. 31, reeled sanctions on Amasiri which included sacking of its political appointees, dethronement of its traditional rulers, placement of curfew, closure of schools, among others.

The governor, while briefing newsmen at the end of the state Security Council meeting on Tuesday, announced that schools would remain shut in the area in spite of the relaxation of the curfew.

“The curfew has been relaxed from 2pm till 10.am to 7.am till 6.pm presently.

“Schools would however, remain shut because the security council did not remember the issue in its deliberations.

“This is a germane issue which could not have been brought to our attention if the journalist did not do so,” he said.

He noted that opening of schools presently had its disadvantages due to the dire security situation in the area.

“The government’s actions on Amasiri is not to show power but to maintain law and order in the people’s interest.

“Nobody hates them and if not for these security measures, there could have been full blown communal conflict in the area with several deaths recorded.

“Amasiri would have been contending with several communities as they also killed, beheaded an Akpoha indigene and severed his head from the body,” he said.

Nwifuru maintained that the Amasiri people must produce the severed heads of the Okporo indigenes as the government was not taking the issue lightly.

“They have failed to produce the heads with the period given to them and that made the government respond appropriately with more severe sanctions.

“We would not make the sanctions public and are also not distracted by the social media antics of indigenes of the community,” he said. (NAN)