Protests erupted in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State as Itsekiri protesters shut down a 28,000 barrels per day (bpd) oil facility, formerly operated by Shell and now owned by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings. The protest was triggered by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) controversial ward delineation proposal for the Warri Federal Constituency. The demonstrators, including men, women, and youths, decried the INEC recommendation, labeling it as ethnic cleansing.
The Itsekiri community is demanding the withdrawal of the proposed delineation, which they argue fails to properly recognize the historical and legitimate names of communities in the Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North Local Government Areas. The unrest is expected to spread to other critical oil and gas facilities, potentially affecting the country’s crude oil production.
In response, the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought have threatened legal action against INEC, accusing the Commission of ignoring the demographic balance between Itsekiri, Urhobo, Ijaw, and other ethnic groups in the region. The protest followed INEC’s recent unveiling of the delineated wards, which were introduced in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling. However, the Itsekiri community has firmly rejected the proposal.
