A human rights lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, has filed a N105 billion suit against Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State over alleged violation of the fundamental rights of Amasiri people.
Amasiri, where Mr Idam hails from, is a community in Afikpo Local Government Area of the state. The community was recently involved in a renewed land dispute with neighbouring Okporojo, in Oso community of Edda Local Government Area of the state.
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Mr Nwifuru recently ordered a curfew and a shutdown of all schools in the community in the wake of the crisis with the Nigerian Army deploying troops in the area.
The suit
But Mr Idam, in the suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, alleged that the deployed soldiers and other security operatives were engaging in human rights violations of his people.
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The lawyer contended that the security operatives were also indiscriminately arresting, detaining the people and destroying their assets.
Apart from Mr Nwifuru, the chief of defence staff, his chief of army staff counterpart, the inspector-general of police and the commandant-general of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps were listed as respondents in the suit.
Others are the commandant of the Nwangu Military Cantonment, the attorney-general of Ebonyi State and the Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/310/2026, was filed on 16 February 2026.
“The profiling and collective punishment of the Amasiri communities over allegations of crime without investigation or fair hearing amounts to a violation of the constitutional right to fair hearing and presumption of innocence,” he said.
The lawyer argued his people’s rights to life, dignity of the human person, personal liberty, and fair hearing, presumption of innocence, freedom of movement, and ownership of property as guaranteed under Sections 33 to 43 of the Constitution are being violated.
He stressed that the rights are under imminent threat of further violation by the actions of the respondents.
Prayers
Mr Idam asked the court to declare that the deployment and continued presence of the Nigerian troops and other security operatives in Amasiri on 30 January 2026 at the instance of the governor was a violation of rights of the community people.
He prayed the court to issue an order directing the respondents to release all the persons indiscriminately arrested, especially two traditional rulers of the community – Idam Bassey Onya and Godfrey Oko.
The lawyer also wants the reversal of the alleged illegal removal and detention of the Coordinator of Amasiri Development Centre, Baron Ogbonnia, since 31 January.
Mr Idam is also seeking an order restraining the defendants from further arresting and detaining his kins.
He further pleaded with the court to nullify the delisting of Amasiri Development Centre and any other punitive administrative actions taken against him and his people allegedly without a fair hearing.
The lawyer also prayed the court to award N100billion against the respondents as exemplary and aggravated damages for the gross violations of his people’s fundamental rights.
He is also asking the court to issue an order awarding N5 billion against the respondents as general damages to his people and himself.
Mr Idam wants the court to order the respondents to rebuild five religious and cultural centres destroyed by them in the course of their operations in the community.
It is unclear, for now, if the court has set a hearing date on the matter.
Why the suit
In a Facebook post on Monday, Mr Idam explained that he filed the suit after he wrote and spoke to authorities about the issues without getting a response.
“Having exhausted all reasonable avenues, this legal action has become the last constitutional resort, compelled by necessity and guided by conscience,” the lawyer said.
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“This action is undertaken personally by me in my individual capacity. However, the reliefs sought are intended not merely for my benefit, but for the protection and vindication of every affected citizen of Amasiri community.”
Background
Amasiri, a community in Afikpo LGA has been in a prolonged land dispute with neighbouring Okporojo village, in Oso community of Edda, another council area in the state.
The dispute, last month, led to the beheading of four indigenes of Okporojo village in Oso Community and destruction of their properties.
The deadly attack was allegedly carried out by the people of Amasiri which prompted Mr Nwifuru, in late January, to sack all his political appointees from the community.
The Ebonyi governor equally dethroned traditional rulers from the Amasiri Community over their alleged complicity in the attack and dispute.
He declared a curfew in the community and shut down schools in the area.
Mr Nwifuru would later relax the curfew from 2 p.m. – 10 a.m. to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
He maintained that the Amasiri people must produce the severed heads of the Okporojo indigenes.
The Nigerian Army later announced that it deployed troops in a joint operation within Amasiri and its adjoining communities to protect innocent citizens.
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