Itsekiri people in Warri, Delta State have called on President Bola Tinubu, Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and relevant security agencies to come to their aid, following alleged threat by the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Oweizide Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo and his people.
Communities allegedly affected by the threat include Ijaghala, Kantu, Obodo, Omadino, Ugborodo and other Itsekiri towns.
A stakeholder, who spoke on behalf of the Itsekiri people, Alex Oritsegbeyiwa Eyengho, in a Save Our Soul message to the government, alleged that there was an existential threat to his people in the hands of the Ijaws, particularly those of Gbaramatu, under the watch of Tompolo.
He said, “The urgent Save Our Souls cry is a cry borne out of Ijaghala and Kantu existential threat in the hands of the Ijaws, particularly those of Gbaramatu, under the watch of Tompolo.
”The death and arson threats reportedly issued to Ijaghala, Kantu, Obodo, Omadino, Ugborodo and other Itsekiri communities became intense recently when videos made by the Spokesman of Gbaramatu-Ijaw, Godspower Gbenekama and one other Ijaw youths began to trend on various social media platforms.
“The unacceptable gun-on-the-head reprieve conditions given by Tompolo and his gang 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 the Ijaghala community to follow suit. Since the very unwilling Ijaghala community is next, there is palpable tension everywhere. I am not in doubt whatsoever of the capacity of Tompolo and his gang to carry out their threat against Ijaghala community.”
Eyengho also said, “During the wake of the endless fratricidal Warri crisis in the late 90s, Ijaghala community was the first community along the Escravos River to be completely pulverized and sacked by Tompolo and his Gbaramatu-Ijaw gang, and as such made indigenes and residents of the community to become internally displaced persons in Nigeria for over a decade. They did it before. They can do it again.
“A few years ago, the Ijaws did everything to enforce their burial culture on Ijaghala to the extent that they forcefully exhumed the corpse of my brother who was buried in the usual Itsekiri culture and reburied him in tandem with Ijaw burial culture! What could be more bizarre? The Ijaws have continued to use force of arms and intimidation from time to time on Ijaghala community as if the people are conquered!
“At some point, the leadership of Ijaghala community was pressurized to publish that the community wished to leave Mandagho Ward in Ugborodo federated communities and join Gbaramatu Ward allegedly as directed by their king Tompolo.
”Apparently, the Ijaws are vexed that Ijaghala was captured by INEC and other Government official documents as an Itsekiri Community. The community, of course, warded off the pressure.
“Our position has always been that the three(3) units currently in Ijaghala community are an integral part of Mandagho Ward in Ugborodo federated communities. We cannot exit this Ward for any reason and join Gbaramatu. If anything, we are pushing for a distinct Ward from our 3 units to be known as Ijaghala Ward.
Eyengho urged President Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori to call Tompolo to order and ensure he stops tormenting the people of Ijaghala and Kantu Communities with an alleged threat to forcefully evacuate and pulverize the communities if the leaderships refuse to abide by their “weird” and “insane” orders.
In a swift reaction, the National President of Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, Comrade Austin Ozobo warned the Itsekiri people to be mindful of their utterances saying,”Tompolo does not have any gun to threaten anybody or community.” In a chat with Our Correspondent,Ozobo said the Kantu, Ijaghala and Omadino Communities as claimed by the Itsekiris belong to the Gbaramatu-Ijaw people. He said, the Itsekiri people learn to live in peace with their neighbours who accommodated them. According to Ozobo, said the Itsekiri people are customary tenants of the Ijaws. He emphasized that,”Ijaws are the landlords of the Itsekiri.”
Tompolo’s Media Consultant, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo in a reaction dismissed the allegations raised by the Itsekiri people.
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