Warri Rebirth Tension: Ijaw–Itsekiri Crisis Deepens, Comrade Ogumaka Holds Federal Government Accountable

Warri Rebirth Tension: Ijaw–Itsekiri Crisis Deepens, Comrade Ogumaka Holds Federal Government Accountable

BY Egbemavoice,

Warri, Delta State – September 16, 2025:

The renewed bloody crisis in Warri South Local Government Area has once again exposed the failure of the Nigerian state to address the deep-rooted injustice and marginalization among the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo ethnic nationalities.

In a fiery statement, Niger Delta youth leader, Comrade Mingo M. Sayami Ogumaka, condemned the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for “deliberate silence and political manipulation” over the Warri question.

He accused the Presidency, successive governments, and the Delta State leadership of using divide-and-rule politics to favor one group while suppressing others, thereby fueling violent clashes for decades.

After the Supreme Court judgment and INEC’s conclusion of fresh delineation in Warri Federal Constituency, the Itsekiris turned their anger against the Ijaw people of Ogbe-Ijoh. President Tinubu has refused to make a statement, and INEC has failed to implement the delineation exercise. This selective silence is not leadership—it is complicity,” Ogumaka declared.

The activist youth leader traced the roots of the Warri crisis to successive acts of political distortion:

The Olu of Warri controversy: According to Ogumaka, renaming the “Olu of Itsekiri” as the “Olu of Warri” erased the presence of Ijaw and Urhobo monarchs. This unilateral act undermined Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which forbids discrimination against any group or citizen on the basis of origin, ethnicity, or community.

Local Government politics: He recalled that when the headquarters of Warri South-West LGA was moved from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben, violent clashes ensued until it was later returned. This manipulation of local administration, he argued, violated the principle of fairness in governance as provided under Section 14(4) of the Constitution, which demands that government activities reflect the federal character and promote national unity.

Gazetted thrones ignored: Ogumaka pointed out that the Delta State Government Gazette recognizes the Ijaw, Urhobo, and Itsekiri monarchs as custodians of their respective kingdoms. He warned that the state government’s refusal to define the exact jurisdiction of each throne is a deliberate political tool to sustain tension.

INEC’s role: He criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a population and delineation exercise that revealed the minority status of the Itsekiris in the three Warri LGAs, but failing to publish and implement it. This, he said, is a violation of INEC’s constitutional duty under Section 153 and the Third Schedule of the Constitution, which mandate it to conduct and review constituency boundaries objectively.

Ogumaka argued that the Nigerian state has historically sided with one ethnic group over another, citing military-era decrees and civilian policies that entrenched injustice in Warri.

“If the Ijaw are entitled to their own local government, give it to them. If the Itsekiri are entitled to theirs, let them have it. Stop using state power to favor one group while suppressing the other. This is why Warri has been turned into a battlefield for decades. A government that cannot protect all its citizens equally has failed the social contract.”

He emphasized that the ongoing silence from the Presidency, Delta State Government, and INEC is “unconstitutional, provocative, and unsustainable.”

“The manipulation of traditional thrones, the abuse of INEC’s authority, and the Delta State Government’s dangerous favoritism are pushing Warri to the brink. Unless the law is applied fairly, and justice is given without bias, the crisis will continue to consume lives,” he warned.

Comrade Ogumaka demanded immediate implementation of INEC’s delineation exercise, constitutional recognition of each ethnic group’s monarch in Warri, and equitable allocation of local government structures in line with population realities.

He insisted that only through justice, transparency, and respect for the law can Warri experience lasting peace.

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Warri Rebirth Tension: Ijaw–Itsekiri Crisis Deepens, Comrade Ogumaka Holds Federal Government Accountable

The renewed bloody clashes in Warri South Local Government Area have once again reopened old wounds between the Ijaw and Itsekiri peoples. The crisis, which erupted today, has been described as “avoidable and politically engineered” by Niger Delta youth leader, Comrade Mingo M. Sayami Ogumaka, who squarely placed blame on the Federal Government and the Delta State Government for decades of dangerous manipulation.

Ogumaka condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for maintaining silence while Warri burns, accusing the Presidency and INEC of “constitutional negligence” and the Delta State Government of “weaponizing traditional thrones for political gain.”

A History of Government Failure in Warri

Ogumaka insisted that the current bloodshed cannot be separated from decades of injustice and deliberate political distortion:

• The Olu of Warri Controversy (1952): The renaming of the Olu of Itsekiri to Olu of Warri created a false impression that Itsekiris are the sole owners of Warri. This, Ogumaka argued, contravenes the Delta State Government Gazette, which recognizes the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo monarchs as custodians of their respective ethnic kingdoms.

• Nwokedi Commission of Inquiry (1997): The Justice Nwokedi Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Warri crisis documented that the relocation of Warri South-West Local Government headquarters from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben sparked violent unrest. The commission recommended equitable administrative arrangements to prevent domination, but successive governments ignored it.

• Popoola Commission Report (1999): The Justice Popoola Commission, set up after further clashes, highlighted how government favoritism intensified Ijaw–Itsekiri hostility. Yet, its white paper recommendations were buried.

• Constitutional Breach: By failing to implement INEC’s recent delineation exercise—which exposed the Itsekiris’ minority status across the three Warri LGAs—Ogumaka argued that both INEC and the Presidency are violating Section 153 and the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, which mandate fairness in constituency demarcation.

The Bloody Timeline of Neglect

Ogumaka reminded Nigerians that Warri’s crisis is not abstract—it has claimed thousands of lives due to government failure to act:

• 1997 Warri Crisis: Erupted when the Warri South-West LGA headquarters was moved from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben. Entire communities were burnt, hundreds displaced.
• 1999 Warri Massacre: Following fresh elections and boundary disputes, clashes left scores dead, including women and children.
• 2003 Warri Violence: Political manipulation during elections triggered killings and destruction across Warri communities.
• 2009 Renewed Clashes: Armed confrontations again erupted, with reports of deaths and displacement, further exposing the volatility of government neglect.

“These are not just years on a calendar. They are years soaked in the blood of Warri’s sons and daughters. If governments had implemented the reports of commissions, respected gazettes, and applied constitutional fairness, these massacres would never have happened,” Ogumaka said.

Accusation Against the State and Presidency

Ogumaka accused successive Nigerian governments of taking sides in the Warri conflict.

“The military regimes, the civilian administrations, and now President Tinubu all played politics with Warri. They chose one group over another, empowered external actors, and turned our people into pawns. Tinubu is repeating this injustice by keeping silent while Ijaw blood is being spilled in Ogbe-Ijoh. Silence is betrayal.”

A Call for Justice, Not Politics

Ogumaka insisted that government’s role must be to balance and protect all groups—not manipulate them.

• On INEC:

“INEC has completed its fieldwork and population delineation. What stops them from implementing it? The Constitution does not empower INEC to hide the truth—it empowers INEC to defend it. Anything else is corruption.”

• On Traditional Rulership:

“Every throne is ethnic, every monarch is custodian of his people. What stops the Delta State Government from clearly stating the areas under each throne? Instead, they keep issuing staff of office to create overlapping claims. This is politics of bloodshed.”

• On Justice:

“If the Ijaw are entitled to their own local government, give it to them. If the Itsekiri are entitled, let them have it. Stop using government as a weapon of oppression. Justice is the only path to peace.”

Conclusion

Ogumaka concluded by demanding:

1. Immediate implementation of INEC’s delineation report in Warri Federal Constituency.
2. Publication and enforcement of past commission reports (Nwokedi 1997, Popoola 1999, and others).
3. Clear definition of monarchial jurisdictions in line with Delta State Government Gazette.
4. Equitable creation of local governments for all ethnic groups, based on population and history.

“Warri has bled too long. No government should continue to gamble with our lives. Justice delayed is justice denied. Warri will only know peace when the law is respected, white papers are implemented, and truth is no longer buried.”