Rights activist and Itsekiri community leader, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, has warned that rising tensions over INEC’s Warri delineation exercise could lead to violence and deepen ethnic divisions in Delta State if urgent action is not taken.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE News, Lori-Ogbebor said recent threats and confrontations surrounding the delineation controversy have heightened fears within Itsekiri communities.
“There is a looming genocide in Warri,” she said.
According to her, the dispute over ward delineation has gone beyond politics and now threatens peace and coexistence in the region.
“This thing is not political anymore,” she stated.
Lori-Ogbebor accused some groups of attempting to undermine the historical ownership structure of Warri and marginalise the Itsekiri people.
“They were taking us for granted,” she said.
She stated that several land ownership disputes in Warri had already been settled through court judgments and historical documentation.
“All the lands in Warri have been adjudicated upon,” she stated.
According to Lori-Ogbebor, recent press conferences and public statements by opposing groups contained threats capable of escalating tensions.
“They threatened fire and brimstone,” she said.
She referenced the 1997 Warri crisis, alleging that Itsekiri communities suffered deadly attacks during the violence.
“They killed a lot of our children,” she stated.
Lori-Ogbebor warned that inflammatory rhetoric surrounding the current delineation process risks reopening old wounds and reigniting conflict.
“They are threatening again that they will do the same,” she said.
She also accused the Federal Government and Delta State authorities of failing to adequately protect Itsekiri communities.
“I will hold the federal government responsible if anything happens to us,” she stated.
According to her, the government has not done enough to prevent tensions from escalating despite repeated warnings from community leaders.
“The state government is responsible,” she said.
Lori-Ogbebor further alleged that false information and propaganda were being circulated to influence public opinion about the delineation exercise.
“They are peddling complete lies,” she stated.
She also dismissed claims that INEC had officially concluded the delineation process, insisting that the electoral body was still reviewing concerns raised by stakeholders.
“INEC has said they are looking into it,” she said.
According to Lori-Ogbebor, lasting peace in Warri can only be achieved if historical realities and court decisions regarding ownership and representation are respected.
“The whole country must decide the truth,” she stated.
She maintained that all groups living in Warri should coexist peacefully but insisted that historical ownership issues cannot simply be ignored.
“We welcome you, but kings are born,” she said.
Lori-Ogbebor also called for the restoration of certain local government arrangements which she claimed were altered through political interference.
“Bring back our local government,” she stated.
According to her, politicians have repeatedly exploited Warri’s ethnic tensions for political advantage.
“Some politicians caused this whole problem,” she said.
Lori-Ogbebor concluded that unless the Federal Government, INEC, and political leaders urgently address concerns surrounding the Warri delineation exercise, tensions in the region could escalate further and threaten peace, security, and inter-ethnic relations in Delta State.
Ojo Triumph
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