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A coalition of civil rights groups- the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) and the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) -have condemned the reported excesses of military operations in some communities in Ezeagu Local Government Area, Enugu State, which recorded civilian abductions and burning of several residential houses.
The coalition, in a detailed investigative report signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chairman of Intersociety, revealed that a six-member investigative team dispatched to the area by the organisation found out that no fewer than 10 civilian houses located in residential areas of Akwuke-Umudim, Abonuzu, Eziama, and Eziowa villages in Imezi-Owa were razed during a military operation conducted between May 5 and May 6, 2026 in the area.
The rights groups claimed that the operation led to the burning of residential houses, arrests of civilians, displacement of residents, and other alleged human rights violations.
They further alleged that several residents were arrested during the operation, including a teenage girl identified as Chisom Okafor, aged between 15 and 17 years, whom they claimed was later labelled an informant of the proscribed separatist group, the Eastern Security Network.
The report said three other young men — Ndubuisi Chikelu, Thank God Chikelu and Chidi Nosike — were also reported missing following the operation.
The report further revealed that the military action forced hundreds of young residents to flee their homes over fears of arrest, detention or possible reprisals.
Providing details of events leading to the operation, the rights groups alleged that local vigilantes were initially invited to a meeting by forest guards, but were later disarmed and accused of collaborating with ESN members.
They claimed the vigilantes were subsequently compelled to lead soldiers into forests around the Ajali River Valley where armed actors were believed to be operating.
The report stated that clashes allegedly erupted between soldiers and armed groups around the Ajali River Forest Valley, located several kilometres from residential communities.
It added that after three military personnel were reportedly injured during exchanges of gunfire, troops allegedly returned and redirected operations toward nearby villages rather than returning to the forest battleground.
The groups accused soldiers of deploying heavy weapons in residential areas, resulting in destruction of homes and properties.
Some residents also alleged cases of looting involving motorcycles, electronics, and domestic animals.
The coalition further linked the tensions in Ezeagu to longstanding conflicts between communities and Fulani herdsmen operating within forests and farmlands around the Ajali River Valley.
Presenting a five-point demand for government action, the coalition called on the Enugu State government to liaise with the innocent families of the burnt or destroyed houses and other valuable properties for purposes of auditing and rebuilding or replacing them, in addition to payment of adequate compensations and prevention of further occurrences.
“Government of Enugu State is also called upon to take concrete steps at ensuring that security agencies, particularly personnel of the Nigerian Army deployed to the state or any part, thereof, respect and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of members of the affected or victim communities in the line of their operations.
“The concerned army and other security personnel must also be compelled to discontinue the widespread use of false/criminal labelling, ethno-religious profiling, trump-up allegations and transfer of criminal liability. The reckless operational code of targeting and attacking innocent civilians and their properties in lieu of criminal parties must stop. The Enugu State government must, at all times, ensure these by tying public funds allocated to the army as “counter-party operational logistics” to strict adherence to such human rights and fundamental freedoms’ conditions, rules, processes, and procedures.
The group also called on the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army to decriminalise its operations in the South East and desist from “IPOB/ESN-phobia”.
“Such de-criminalisation must include putting an end to hate and discriminatory soldiering and law enforcements and operations as well as putting an end to mass criminalisation, criminal/false labelling, operational lies, and falsehoods, including concoction and bastardisation of intelligence and crime scene evidence; as well as reckless resort to hearsay conclusions and summary or jungle justice.
“The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu and the Enugu State Police Command must unconditionally release, alive and in good health conditions, Young Citizens Chisom Okafor (female of 15-17 years of age) and Young Male Citizens Ndubuisi Chikelu, Thank God Chikelu, Chidi Nosike, and others likely to have been overtly or covertly arrested or abducted since May 6, 2026”.
“The Government of Enugu State is formally called upon to end the unchecked terror activities of Jihadist Fulani herdsmen in Ezeagu, particularly since 2010. The state government must live up to its constitutional responsibility of ensuring protection and safety of lives and properties in the local government, including immediate recovery of the Ajali River and its massive farmlands from the hands of Jihadist Fulani herdsmen and counter armed non-state actors involved” the group stated.
