PRESS STATEMENT
Niger Delta Peace Builders to Ijaw Leaders: Stop Fueling Crisis in Warri and the Niger Delta
The leadership of the Niger Delta Peace Builders (NDPB) has issued a stern warning to Ijaw leaders and the group Save Ijaw Nation (SIN) to desist from inciting tensions and destabilizing peace in Warri Federal Constituency. The group emphasized that historically, Warri is the ancestral home of the Itsekiri people, while the Ijaws’ indigenous territories in Delta State are primarily in Bomadi and Patani.
We wish to appreciate the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) for their timely intervention and call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to discard the widely rejected and fraudulent delineation proposal. The OPC, which shares historical, ethnic, and cultural ties with the Itsekiri people, has rightly stood by the truth and justice. As a Yorbiod ethnic group, the Itsekiris have every right to expect solidarity from the OPC and the Yoruba nation at large.
We are aware of Chief Michael Johnny’s recent remarks claiming that the Ijaw nation supports INEC’s delineation exercise. In the same vein, the Yoruba nation, through the OPC, has declared its full support for the Itsekiri people, who have been the victims of continuous marginalization and aggressive land encroachment.
Clarifying Demographic Reality
It is important to address the misleading narratives being circulated. Within the Warri Federal Constituency—comprising Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West LGAs—the Ijaws are, in fact, a micro-minority.
Warri South-West: Ijaws occupy 4 wards, Itsekiris 6.
Warri North: Ijaws have 4 wards, also shared with Itsekiris, while the Itsekiris have 6 distinct wards.
Warri South: No Ijaw settlements or ward.
Despite this, attempts are being made by INEC to reassign, rename, and import communities from as far as Ughelli, Udu, Burutu, Ondo, and even Edo State—an act that is nothing short of demographic fraud aimed at artificially inflating the Ijaw population in Warri.
We state unequivocally that such acts not only violate established legal and historical precedents, but also amount to a conspiracy to dispossess the Itsekiri people of their ancestral land.
Legal and Historical Backing
The Supreme Court and other judicial pronouncements have consistently upheld the ownership rights of the Itsekiri people over Warri lands. For instance, the ruling of Justice Marshall Mukoro clearly prohibits the Ijaws from making any land ownership claims in Warri.
It is, therefore, shameful that the so-called Save Ijaw Nation would fabricate a revisionist history claiming that Ijaws were the aboriginal settlers of Warri. The facts are clear: the Ijaws migrated to Warri as fishing settlers and did so under the permission of the Olu of Warri. The subsequent betrayal of that hospitality cannot form a basis for land claims.
On INEC’s Complicity
The delineation exercise conducted by INEC is riddled with irregularities, injustice, and bias. Communities with no historical or geographical connection to Warri are being forcefully included to skew political representation. The data and evidence provided by groups like the Warri Reclamation Thrust make it clear that this is a deliberate ploy to marginalize the Itsekiris and legitimize illegal land grabs.
We call on the INEC Chairman to be held accountable and investigated for gross misconduct and possible collusion in this fraudulent delineation process.
OPC’s Role and Yoruba Solidarity
Let it be clearly understood: the OPC has every right and jurisdiction to intervene in Warri affairs. The Itsekiris are a Yoruba sub-ethnic group, and by extension, part of the Yoruba race. This fraternal and ancestral connection legitimizes OPC’s intervention against what is clearly a pattern of aggression and marginalization orchestrated by elements within the Ijaw nation.
The statement by the OPC—promising to resist violence and threats—reflects the sentiment of millions across the Yoruba world who stand in solidarity with their kinsmen in Warri.
Call for Peace and National Attention
We urge Ijaw leaders to restore their integrity and stop the campaign of misinformation and provocation. Their threats of violence and oil well shutdowns, as recently issued by Chief Michael Johnny, are reckless and must be addressed by the highest levels of government. We call on the President and relevant security agencies to:
Arrest and investigate individuals inciting violence.
Immediately suspend the current INEC delineation plan.
Restore peace and fairness to the Warri Federal Constituency.
Final Word
Warri is Itsekiri land. Itsekiri are part of the Yoruba family. The truth of history, law, and demography cannot be rewritten by threats or force. The Niger Delta is home to over 50 ethnic nationalities; it does not belong to the Ijaws alone. Their current campaign of land encroachment, from Akwa Ibom to Cross River, must stop now.
Signed:
Oritsegbubemi Edema
National Coordinator
Niger Delta Peace Builders
Hon. Ibolo Harrison
Secretary
Comr. Irabor Akpomiemie
PRO
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