The Itsekiri Youths have issued a warning to neighbouring Ijaw communities over renewed disputes linked to ward delineation in the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State, as tensions escalate around the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) ongoing boundary review process. The controversy has revived long-standing grievances over land ownership, political representation, and resource control in the oil-rich region of southern Nigeria.
The dispute centers on INEC’s ward redrawing exercise, which aims to improve electoral fairness and representation across communities in Warri. While Ijaw and Urhobo groups are demanding increased ward allocations, Itsekiri stakeholders insist on what they describe as their “indigenous rights” over contested areas, accusing rival groups of attempting to manipulate the process for political advantage.
Historical grievances resurface amid electoral tensions
The latest disagreement has stirred painful memories of past communal violence in the Niger Delta region, where clashes over land, oil resources, and administrative headquarters reportedly led to hundreds of deaths and the displacement of more than 700,000 people. Though the region has experienced relative calm in recent years, community leaders say the current dispute risks undoing fragile peace gains.
An Itsekiri youth leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the community would resist any attempt to “erase historical identity through administrative adjustments.”
“We are not against fairness, but we will not accept distortions that ignore our ancestral presence and rights,” the youth leader said. “We want peace, but peace must be based on truth and justice.”
Ijaw representatives, however, maintain that the ward review process should reflect population realities and ensure equitable political representation. Some community voices argue that previous arrangements left certain groups underrepresented in local governance structures.
Calls for calm and government intervention
Elders from across the affected communities have appealed for restraint, warning that inflammatory rhetoric could inflame already sensitive tensions. Civil society observers in the region have also urged the state government to step in quickly to facilitate dialogue and prevent escalation.
A community elder in Delta State described the situation as “a critical moment that requires wisdom, not confrontation.”
“The wounds of the past are still visible in many families,” the elder said. “Any return to violence would be devastating for everyone involved.”
Officials linked to electoral administration have not issued a detailed public response to the latest warnings, but INEC has consistently maintained that its delineation exercises are guided by constitutional provisions, demographic data, and the need for balanced representation.
A fragile peace under pressure
Security analysts note that boundary and representation disputes remain among the most sensitive triggers of conflict in the Niger Delta, particularly where historical claims overlap with oil-rich territories and political structures.
As stakeholders await further clarification from authorities, attention is now focused on whether mediation efforts can defuse rising tensions before they escalate.
For now, the situation in Warri remains tense but contained, with community leaders urging dialogue over confrontation in hopes of preventing a return to the region’s darker chapters.