Chief Robinson Ariyo Urges Federal Government to Guarantee Peace in the Niger Delta by Ending Patronage of Unrepentant Ex-Militants

Warri, Delta State —
Chief Robinson Ariyo, the Egogo of Warri Kingdom, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to take decisive steps to guarantee lasting peace in the Niger Delta in 2026 and beyond by ending what he described as the continuous patronage of unrepentant ex-militants who still operate as ethnic warlords.

According to Chief Ariyo, one of the major threats to sustainable peace in the Niger Delta is the Federal Government’s ongoing practice of awarding security and surveillance contracts to individuals who have neither renounced violence nor abandoned divisive ethnic agendas.

“Peace cannot thrive where the same individuals who once destabilized the region are being empowered again through government patronage,” he stated.

He warned that some ex-militants have merely transitioned from armed struggle to institutionalized influence, using government contracts and access to state resources to consolidate power, intimidate other ethnic nationalities, and pursue territorial and political dominance under the guise of peacekeeping.

Chief Ariyo stressed that true peace cannot be outsourced to ethnic strongmen, especially those with a history of violence, intimidation, and ethnic expansionism.
He therefore urged the Federal Government to:
Immediately halt the awarding of contracts to unrepentant ex-militants and individuals with records of ethnic violence.
Conduct thorough background and integrity checks before granting security-related contracts or responsibilities.
Adopt inclusive and neutral peace-building strategies that respect the rights, lands, and identities of all indigenous peoples in the Niger Delta.

Strengthen legitimate state security institutions rather than relying on private ethnic-aligned actors.
The Egogo of Warri Kingdom emphasized that empowering such individuals not only undermines national unity but also deepens ethnic suspicion, fuels communal tensions, and threatens the fragile peace in the oil-producing region.

He concluded by calling on the Federal Government to demonstrate political will, fairness, and neutrality, noting that lasting peace in the Niger Delta can only be achieved through justice, equity, and the rule of law—not selective patronage.