(DDM) – The Itsekiri Traditional Council has called on Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to urgently investigate rising ethnic tensions between the Itsekiri and Ijaw communities in Warri Federal Constituency.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the call was made during a press conference held at the Palace of the Olu of Warri on Saturday, where the Warri Council of Chiefs expressed deep concern over fresh disputes threatening fragile peace in the oil-rich region.
The chiefs raised alarm following the removal of banners celebrating the 10th coronation anniversary of the Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh, HRM Couple Mackson Oromoni, Monbene III, which were taken down in parts of Warri metropolis.
According to the Itsekiri chiefs, the locations where the banners were erected belong to their territory, insisting that the installations encroached on Itsekiri land.
“This is our homeland. We don’t want it distorted. We are for peace,” declared Brown Mene, the Ogwa-Olusan of Warri Kingdom, who spoke on behalf of the council.
The Itsekiri leaders urged Governor Oborevwori to immediately constitute a panel of inquiry into the incident, warning that unchecked provocations could escalate into another violent conflict in Warri.
They also appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to launch a thorough investigation, accusing some security operatives of complicity in the removal of the banners.
The chiefs further demanded that the Ogbe-Ijoh monarch withdraw all such banners and billboards allegedly mounted within Warri South Local Government Area.
They cited a lower court ruling that the disputed areas were outside Ogbe-Ijoh’s jurisdiction, even though the ruling is currently under appeal.
Mene stressed that the issue predates the current administration but insisted that Oborevwori’s government must take decisive action to douse tensions.
“What is more likely to cause unrest is the disregard for the rule of law,” he warned.
The crisis deepened on Monday when angry youths reportedly tore down the Ogbe-Ijoh banners, sparking outrage among the Ijaw community and drawing the attention of civil society and Niger Delta leaders.
Comrade Bene Youkore Mamamu, National President of the Niger Delta Youth Council, appealed to National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and other security agencies to step in before matters spiral out of control.
He warned that failure to act could trigger another bloody clash in Warri, which in the past has witnessed devastating ethnic violence.
Similarly, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Fiowei (Spokesman) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, condemned the role of some security operatives, saying their actions fanned the crisis instead of restoring order.
He urged Oborevwori to convene an urgent peace dialogue involving the Itsekiri, Ijaw, Urhobo, and other ethnic groups in Warri.
“We, the leaders who do not want war, know what war has brought to Warri,” Gbenekama cautioned.
He added that renewed fighting in Warri would cripple the economy of Delta State and affect Nigeria’s oil production.
The Warri axis has long been a flashpoint of ethnic rivalry between the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo peoples, with past clashes leaving hundreds dead and industries destroyed.
Analysts note that the Niger Delta’s fragile peace can easily be disrupted by territorial disputes, especially given the area’s centrality to Nigeria’s oil wealth.
Governor Oborevwori is now under pressure to demonstrate leadership by fostering reconciliation and ensuring that the rule of law is respected in Warri.