Urgent! Itsekiri Riverine Communities Threatened by Coercion, Arson – Eyengho Alleges, Call on Tinubu to Act Now

The Itsekiri people of Ijaghala and Kantu communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have raised the alarm over what they called alleged threats of arson and coercion, calling on President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to step in immediately to prevent potential bloodbath in the area.

Addressing a press conference held at Ugbori in Warri South on Wednesday, Alex Eyengho, an Itsekiri native of both communities, revealed that recent videos by Chief Godspower Gbenekama, spokesman for Gbaramatu Kingdom, and an unidentified youth had intensified fears of attacks in the riverine areas.

“Videos circulated by Gbaramatu’s spokesman and some youths have heightened our fears of imminent violence,” Eyengho said.

“These communities are partly Itsekiri and Ijaw by birth. While Ijaghala is part of Ugborodo, Kantu belongs to Omadino.”

It could be recall that leaders of Kantu community had recently affirmed their Ijaw heritage and pledged allegiance to Oboro Gbaraun II, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom. However, Eyengho alleged that some of these leaders spoke under duress.

Eyengho further claimed plans were underway to coerce communities into declaring Gbaramatu-Ijaw ownership of Ijaghala and Kantu—plans he warned could escalate tensions.

While alleging “existential threat in the hands of the Ijaws, particularly those of Gbaramatu,” Eyengho stated “the death and arson threats issued to ljaghala, Kantu, Obodo, Omadino, Ugborodo and other Itsekiri communities, became intense and indeed climaxed recently, when videos made by the spokesman of Gbaramatu-Ijaw, Godspower Gbenekama and one other Ijaw youth, started trending on various social media platforms.”

In the said video, Gbenekama warned those threatening harm against the people of Kantu, especially the Chairman and Ama-Okosuwei (oldest man) to desist forthwith, and called on the people, as well as others in other acclaimed Ijaw communities such as “Amadino, Obodo and Jaghala,” to proclaim their true heritage without fear and they will be “protected”.

“The unacceptable gun-on-the-head reprieve conditions to Kantu and Ijaghala communities is that the leadership of both communities should compulsorily address a press conference, where they must announce to the world that the Gbaramatu-Ijaw own both communities, failing which both communities shall be pulverized, sacked and the occupants killed!

“They have successfully got some Kantu people under duress to address the said press conference, and have fixed Friday, June 13, 2025 for Ijaghala community to follow suit. Since the very unwilling ljaghala community is next, there is palpable tension everywhere,” the Itsekiri leader asserted.

He emphasized that the land ownership disputes have already been settled in court, with judgments favoring the Itsekiri communities, which are part of the Warri Kingdom under the Olu of Warri.

Eyengho reiterated “Ijaghala Community is a peaceful island located along the Escravos River in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. In the same vein, Kantu is a peaceful community located in a creek off the Escravos River. Most of the people of Ijaghala and Kantu are by birth partly Itsekiri and Ijaw ethnic groups in Delta State. However, the issue of ownership of both Ijaghala and Kantu lands, have been litigated by the Itsekiri (Ugborodo and Omadino communities) versus the Ijaws of Gbaramatu, and long settled by courts of competent jurisdictions, with the judgments known to parties and the public. Simpliciter, while Ijaghala land is owned by Ugborodo Community, Kantu land is owned by Omadino Community, both in Warri Kingdom, under the Olu of Warri.

“The recent threats stem from the controversial wards and units delineation ordered by INEC across Warri Federal Constituency,” Eyengho explained.

“Kantu and Ijaghala are recognized as Itsekiri communities within Madangho Ward in Ugborodo.”

He described the threats as an “existential danger,” citing social media videos where Gbaramatu’s spokesman, Gbenekama, warned that communities like ‘Ijaghala and Kantu must publicly declare Gbaramatu-Ijaw ownership or face destruction’.

Eyengho accused some Kantu elements of being coerced into issuing such statements and warned of heightened tension ahead of a planned press conference on June 13.

He called for urgent intervention, stating that the Itsekiri position has always been that Ijaghala is part of Ugborodo, and they are advocating for a separate ward rather than annexation by Gbaramatu.

“At some point, the leadership of Ijaghala community was pressured to publish that the community wishes to leave Madangho Ward in Ugborodo Federated Communities and join Gbaramatu Ward. The community of-course warded off the pressure. Our position has always been that the three (3) units currently in Ijaghala Community is integral part of Madangho Ward in Ugborodo Federated Communities. We cannot exit this Ward for any reason and join Gbaramatu Ward. If anything, we are pushing for a distinct Ward from our 3 Units to be known as Ijaghala Ward”.

Eyengho also noted that the Federal Government has instructed that existing Wards and units delineation be maintained until legal and electoral authorities finalize the delineation process, and expressed confidence that their majority in Warri Federal Constituency remains undisputed.

“However, we thank God that what INEC presented so far, is a proposal. Meaning that the status quo of the old Wards/Units structure in the Warri Federal Constituency, remains.

“The Gbaramatu-Ijaw also pressured the Ijaghala Community to immediately agree to the change of name of the only school in the community from Egogo Primary School to “Igbeha Primary School.” The Ijaghala Community also pushed back on this weird order”.

Samuel Khalil, a former Secretary of Warri North LGA, added that INEC officials were manipulating ward delineation by importing wards from elsewhere to favor the Ijaw communities, thereby complicating the electoral landscape.

He asserted: “What INEC did was very simple, they repeated coordinates at different intervals. If you check, you won’t know until you use GPS coordinate tracking system. If you put one of the coordinates in the GPS tracking system, you will see communities from Ondo state, Edo state, Udu and Ughelli, they made up for the Ijaw of Gbaramatu.

“They took a coordinate from Warri that’s on top water to form a ward, if you put the coordinate on the GPS, it will show you middle of the river and there are no communities in the middle of the river. What INEC did was a complete fraud. These coordinates were manufactured to the detriment of the Itsekiri people.

“Ewein is in Ogbe-Ijoh, a primary school at Ogbe-Ijoh, but they created it and manufactured it to Warri South for the Ijaw people, who are not resident in Warri South”.

“Recall when Chief James Onanefe Ibori, was governor, the Miller Waterside where we have shops, where the Ijaw people now occupied for their businesses, Chief Ibori called them and said you people are from Bayelsa State and other states, take money and go back to where you came from. Dr. Uduaghan did same, setup a panel, which was headed by Frank Omare, who is from Ogbe Ijoh, gave the Ijaw people money for them to go back to their state, they took it, left and came back. It is very sad and unfortunate for someone to come and say we have Ijaws in Warri South.