The Ghost of Unrest and the Cry for Justice: Why the IGP Must Act Now to Save Delta State and Nigeria at large says Comr. Lily-white O Esigbone

The air in Delta State is heavy. It is not just the humidity of the Niger Delta or the scent of the mangroves; it is the thick, palpable weight of a people’s patience running thin. As I walk through the streets of Warri, I don’t just hear the sounds of commerce; I hear the hushed, angry whispers of a youth population that feels hunted by the very people sworn to protect them.

We have been here before. We remember the fire, the tears, and the blood of the #EndSARS protests. We remember the promises made in the wake of that national trauma. Yet, today, the shadows of the past are lengthening.

The recent tragedy at the Effurun Roundabout motor park was not just a “police incident.” When Oghenemena was extrajudicially gunned down, allegedly by ASP Nuhu, a piece of the public’s trust died with him. To the authorities, he may be a file number; to us, he is a brother, a son, and a reminder that any one of us could be next.

As a member of the Civil Rights Council, I see the data, but as a man living in this region, I feel the heartbeat of the street. The citizens are beyond tired; they are indignant. When harassment becomes a daily tax on being young and mobile, the “unthinkable” doesn’t just become possible, it becomes inevitable.

I must pause to appreciate the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the recent transfer of over 1,000 senior personnel out of Delta State. This was a bold, necessary move, a surgical strike against a culture of impunity.

However, a transfer is only as good as the oversight that follows it. We know the history of this region. We know how “influential” personnel often find their way back to the lucrative corridors of Sapele and Warri. I am calling on the IGP to be the gatekeeper.

Do not allow these individuals to work their way back into our communities. If the rot is moved but allowed to return, the wound will never heal.

My call today is not a solitary one. It is backed by the collective resolve of the organizations I am privileged to lead, each one a pillar of our regional identity:

The Niger Delta Peace Builders (NDPB): We seek peace, but peace cannot exist without justice.

The Itsekiri Historical Front (IHF) & Iwere Indigenous Voice (IIV): We protect our heritage, and our greatest heritage is the lives of our people.

The Itsekiri Young Elites (IYE): We represent the future, a future that is currently being stifled by fear.

Through our media platforms, The Niger Delta Vanguard, Warri Gist News Hub, and the Niger Delta Gazette, we are no longer just observers; we are the chroniclers of a struggle for dignity. We are documenting every handshake, every bribe, and every bruise.

To the Inspector General and the Commissioner of Police: Look at the faces of the people in Effurun, Warri, and Sapele. They are not looking for a fight; they are looking for a reason to trust you.

Call your personnel to order. Discipline the rogue elements who believe their uniforms are licenses for oppression. We are activists, writers, and Niger Deltans, but above all, we are Nigerians who love this land too much to watch it burn again.

The clock is ticking. For the sake of Oghenemena, for the sake of our youth, and for the sake of our nation, act now before the anger of the streets speaks louder than the words of our pens.

Signed:
Comr. Lily-white O. Esigbone
Indigenous Minority Rights Activist, Advocate | Writer | President, Niger Delta Peace Builders & Itsekiri Young Elites (IYE)

Nigeria Police Force
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Dts Human Rights Congress
Social Action
Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori
HQ Nigerian Army