The quiet community of Amasiri of Afikpo in Ebonyi State came alive on Thursday following a military incursion.

Military personnel in large numbers had invaded the community due to a crisis that emanated from a tussle for ancestral land.

Ekwutosblog learnt that Amasiri and neighbouring Edda community have been at parallel ends over ownership of an ancestral land.

The bad blood between the communities had led to Edda unleashing several unprovoked attacks on the people of Amasiri.

Confirming this to Ekwutosblog , activist lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, lamented that the military incursion could spark an unprovoked massacre within the communities.

Speaking on the matter, Idam said Amasiri was bleeding and on fire.

He urged the Chief of Army Staff, Olufemi Oluyede and the Commander Nkwegu Military Cantonment to quickly withdraw the military presence in Amasiri and her environs to save her people from unwarranted possible carnage.

In a message titled: “A cry for urgent help, Amasiri on fire,” the activist lawyer also called on Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State to resolve the age-long crisis between the neighbouring communities.

According to Idam: “With teary eyes and a heavy heart I am crying out this morning as a concerned indigene of Amasiri, Afikpo in Ebonyi State to alert Nigerians of a despicable, teleguided military incursion in my community Amasiri, Afikpo, Ebonyi State which has occasioned a siege in the hitherto one of the most peaceful community in Nigeria today.

“Following an attempt by her neighbouring community called Edda to grab her ancestral land after unleashing several unprovoked attacks on the people of Amasiri, the said neighbouring community who have their indigenes in political positions have now used their connection to invite the military to illegally and unlawfully lay siege on Amasiri community.

“I cry out to Nigerians to intervene on our behalf and speak against the military presence in my community this morning which is a contrived bait to provoke a massacre on the defenceless peaceful people of Amasiri, simply to subdue them for her her Edda neighbours in order to achieve their age-long desire of grabbing the ancestral land of Amasiri people which has been a subject of interest to her Edda neighbours for decades.

“I’m saddened that despite several calls on the governor of Ebonyi State, Gov. Francis Ogbonnia Nwifuru, to intervene and broker peace between the two neighbouring communities (Amasiri and Edda) he has maintained a deafening silence over the matter notwithstanding the barrage of reports of loss of lives and properties and press conferences calling on him for attention to peacefully resolve the matter so as to save the lives of innocent indigenes.

“As a concerned indigene, I seek the attention of Nigerians to join me and urge the Chief of Army Staff and the Commander Nkwegu Military Cantonment to quickly withdraw the military presence in Amasiri and her environs in order to save her people from unwarranted possible carnage.

“In the same vein, Nigerians should direct the governor of Ebonyi State to step in and broker peace among these two communities as Amasiri people are willing to accept every peaceful approach that will bring a lasting solution to the matter to avoid an irreparable mishap against Amasiri people who are vulnerable and defenceless. The governor of Ebonyi State should quickly intervene. Amasiri is bleeding.”