Tension is rising in Warri, Delta State, as the Itsekiri people raise alarm over what they describe as grave threats from ex-MEND leader Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and his supporters.
They are calling on President Bola Tinubu, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and security agencies to intervene before things spiral out of control.
The affected areas reportedly include Ijaghala, Kantu, Obodo, Omadino, Ugborodo, and other Itsekiri communities.
Speaking on behalf of the group, a stakeholder, Alex Oritsegbeyiwa Eyengho, issued a distress call to the authorities, warning of an “existential threat” to the Itsekiri people posed by Ijaw elements from Gbaramatu, under Tompolo’s leadership.
According to Eyengho: “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 situation reportedly escalated when videos circulated online, featuring Godspower Gbenekama, the Gbaramatu-Ijaw spokesman, and other Ijaw youths. The videos allegedly included threats of violence and destruction targeted at the Itsekiri towns.
Eyengho claimed: “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 recalled a similar pattern of attacks during the Warri crisis in the 90s:
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“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.”
He urged both the President and Delta State Governor to take immediate action and restrain Tompolo from what he called “weird” and “insane” threats to evacuate and destroy communities.
But the Ijaw side quickly responded.
Comrade Austin Ozobo, National President of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, dismissed the claims. He said:
“Tompolo does not have any gun to threaten anybody or community.”
Ozobo insisted that the disputed areas Kantu, Ijaghala, and Omadino are Ijaw territories and accused the Itsekiris of refusing to live peacefully with those who originally gave them land.
“Ijaws are the landlords of the Itsekiri.”
Tompolo’s media consultant, Dr. Paul Bebenimibo, also rejected the allegations from the Itsekiri group.
The growing standoff has left both sides on edge, with no resolution in sight.