By CHARLES IWUOHA

Governor Francis Nwifuru has reinforced security measures in Amasiri Autonomous Community, Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, extending the closure of schools despite easing the duration of the curfew imposed on the area.

The decision followed a State Security Council meeting convened on Tuesday in Abakaliki to reassess the security situation in Amasiri and adjoining communities, including Okporojo and Akpoha, in the aftermath of the deadly violence linked to the Okporojo killings.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the governor announced that the existing curfew has been adjusted and will now run from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily.

Residents are permitted to conduct lawful activities between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., a move he described as a reflection of “measurable progress” recorded by security agencies deployed to the area.

However, Nwifuru maintained that schools in the affected communities will remain closed pending further review, underscoring what he termed the administration’s “zero-compromise stance” on the safety of students and education workers.

“While there are clear social and economic benefits to reopening schools, the prevailing security realities demand caution,” the governor said, noting that the decision would be revisited after a fresh assessment at the next Security Council meeting.

He stressed that the curfew was introduced not as a demonstration of state authority but as a preventive measure to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

According to him, intelligence reports suggested the crisis had the potential to escalate into a wider communal conflict involving neighbouring settlements if swift intervention had not been undertaken.

On the investigative front, the governor disclosed that the council directed law enforcement agencies to expedite the prosecution of suspects arrested in connection with the killings.

He reaffirmed the constitutional presumption of innocence but revealed that investigators have made significant breakthroughs, including the recovery of a shallow grave and the recording of confessional statements.

Security agencies, he added, are intensifying efforts to apprehend other suspects believed to be at large.

Beyond the curfew and school shutdown, the council approved what it described as urgent and extraordinary measures aimed at restoring full normalcy to Amasiri and surrounding communities.

Although he declined to disclose operational details for security reasons, Nwifuru assured residents that the government’s actions are intelligence-driven and focused on preventing further loss of life.

He also cautioned against inflammatory rhetoric and the spread of unverified information on social media, warning that such actions could undermine ongoing security operations and heighten tensions.