Leaders of the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic groups in Delta State’s Warri Federal Constituency have called on protesters occupying oil and gas facilities and blocking waterways to withdraw immediately, following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention. The appeal came in a statement issued Thursday, after a series of high-level meetings involving the federal government, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and former Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, known as Tompolo.
The protests, which erupted Monday, stemmed from grievances over the Independent National Electoral Commission’s fresh ward and polling unit delineation exercise, ordered by the Supreme Court. Demonstrations spread across Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West local government areas, leading to the occupation of oil and gas facilities and the blockade of parts of the Escravos River.
Prominent Ijaw and Urhobo leaders, including Godspower Gbenekama, Victor Okumagba, Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, and Westham Adehor, signed the statement. They noted that escalating tensions prompted Governor Oborevwori to convene an emergency meeting with Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo representatives in Asaba on June 8. The continued protests then drew Tompolo’s intervention, who met leaders of the three ethnic groups in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom, on June 9, calling for restraint to protect oil and gas infrastructure.
The leaders also revealed that President Tinubu convened a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday with representatives of the three ethnic nationalities. “At the meeting, Mr President called for compromise, understanding, and the need for the Ijaws, Itsekiris, and Urhobos to live together as Nigerians,” the statement said. Tinubu appealed for unity and directed stakeholders to work out a power-sharing arrangement for equitable distribution of political positions across the three local government areas. He also urged community leaders to persuade protesters to end the demonstrations.
“In light of the foregoing, we, the leaders of Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities of Warri Federal Constituency, after consultation with other stakeholders, hereby call on protesting women, youths, and other stakeholders in Ijaw and Urhobo communities to demobilize and vacate all oil and gas facilities occupied in different parts of the constituency and the Escravos River,” the statement read. The leaders described the decision as a mark of respect for the president and an opportunity to resolve outstanding issues from the delineation exercise. They thanked Tinubu, Oborevwori, and Tompolo for their timely interventions, which helped de-escalate tensions in the oil-rich area.
This development follows recent reports of escalating tensions in the Warri Federal Constituency over INEC’s delineation of electoral wards and polling units, as ordered by the Supreme Court. The dispute heightened ethnic tensions among Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Urhobo communities, with protesters occupying oil facilities and threatening crude oil production. Tompolo had earlier appealed for calm, urging groups to avoid actions disrupting critical national assets, while the Presidency denied allegations that Tinubu interfered in INEC’s exercise. Thursday’s appeal signals that stakeholders may be moving toward a negotiated settlement after days of protests that drew national attention and raised security concerns over strategic oil and gas infrastructure.
