Chief Rita Lori Ogbebor, the Igba of Warri, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene urgently in rising tensions in Warri, warning that continued conflict between the Itsekiri, Urhobo and Ijaw communities could escalate into large-scale violence.
Speaking Friday in Lagos, Ogbebor said the situation could deteriorate into what she described as a “full-blown war” that might endanger Itsekiri communities in their ancestral areas. She referenced past unrest, including the 1997 crisis in Warri, which she said resulted in significant loss of life among Itsekiri people.
She called for immediate intervention by the federal government and international bodies, including the United Nations, saying the dispute requires urgent attention from all stakeholders.
Ogbebor alleged that political interests have worsened long-standing ethnic tensions in the oil-rich region, describing Warri as an economic hub where different groups have historically coexisted but now face increasing division.
She also raised concerns about what she described as coordinated hostility against the Itsekiri, warning of what she termed the risk of “genocide” if the situation is not addressed.
“There is a limit to everything in life,” she said. “We have been suffering. Everybody knows how much they are fighting.”
She urged the federal government to provide protection and consider structural solutions, including the creation of a Warri State, arguing that the area meets the criteria for statehood and could ensure greater self-governance.
Ogbebor also called for enforcement of existing court judgments regarding land ownership and administrative boundaries in the area, insisting that rulings in favor of the Urhobo community should be limited to what she said had been legally determined.
She further demanded a review of local government arrangements, saying past administrative decisions had contributed to tensions.
The federal government has not issued an immediate response.
