Itsekiri Youths Shut Down Oil Facility in Protest of INEC Report
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Angry youths from the Itsekiri ethnic group on Wednesday shut down a 28,000 barrels-per-day oil facility in the Ugborodo Community, Warri South-West LGA, Delta State. The protest was sparked by dissatisfaction with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) recent ward delineation report, which they claim unfairly favors other ethnic groups.
The Punch reported that the protesters accused INEC and its alleged collaborators of advancing an agenda aimed at sidelining the Itsekiri people. They also issued a stern warning against the use of the recently awarded pipeline surveillance contract by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo, if it is used in ways that harm their interests.
One protester declared they would resist any attempt to use the contract, awarded by the Federal Government through NNPCL, as a tool against the Itsekiri.
In response, Tompolo, speaking through Tantita Security Services’ spokesperson Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, denied any involvement in the matter. He clarified that the surveillance contract and the company he leads have no connection to the oil field in question, which falls under the jurisdiction of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), a firm linked to the Olu of Itsekiri.
The peaceful protest, which included Itsekiri men, women, and youths, disrupted operations at the facility recently acquired by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings from Shell. Protesters carried placards rejecting the ward delineation proposal, which they said was designed to benefit the Ijaw ethnic group in the Warri Federal Constituency (Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West LGAs).
They accused INEC of enabling ethnic marginalization under the guise of redistricting. The commission had presented the controversial report in Asaba during a stakeholders’ meeting last Friday, following a Supreme Court directive to revisit ward boundaries in the disputed region.
Mr. Amorighoye Mene, Secretary of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, dismissed the report as both inaccurate and hostile to the Itsekiri people. He vowed that the community would take all necessary steps to block its implementation, warning that the Itsekiri would not back down.
While the broader effects on nearby oil and gas infrastructure remain uncertain, the protesters called for INEC to withdraw the report entirely and conduct a new exercise that properly recognizes the historical and legitimate identities of Itsekiri communities across the three LGAs.
Okere-Urhobo Leaders Reject Political Statements Made Without Approval
Meanwhile, prominent chiefs and youth leaders from the Okere-Urhobo Kingdom in Warri have publicly distanced themselves from statements made by a group led by Hon. Matthew Poko Opuoru, a former state lawmaker and current Special Adviser on Environment to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Chief John Edgar Eranvor, the Uhoho of the kingdom, said the remarks made by Opuoru during a press conference on Tuesday, April 8, were unauthorized and not representative of the kingdom. He stressed that any official response from Okere-Urhobo would come only after due consultation with the monarch and other traditional structures.
Chief Sylvester Femi Okumagba, the Owena of the kingdom, also spoke, urging the public to ignore Opuoru’s comments, which he said were made without consent and possibly influenced by political interests.
Chief Frank Okolobe, the Oguhwie of Otor-Orene, condemned the press conference as an act of political opportunism and emphasized the importance of following traditional procedures before issuing public statements.
Youth President Eboh Okpako Elvis also weighed in, reminding the public that INEC’s current report is only preliminary and that there’s still a seven-day window for formal objections. He reiterated the kingdom’s commitment to peaceful, legal processes and condemned the unauthorized press briefing as a misrepresentation of Okere-Urhobo’s official position.
Kindly share
