Sylvester Idowu in Warri 

An Ijaw youth, George Tamaragbabrapa Mulade-Sheriff, has appealed to all stakeholders to urgently de-escalate the tensions amongst the Urhobos, Ijaws and Itsekiris in Warri Federal Constituency.

The concerned youth, an undergraduate of Nigerian Navy-owned Admiralty University, Ibusa, Delta State, warned in a statement issued Wednesday, that if swift actions were not taken to address the animosity between the ethnic nationalities in Warri, it might escalate and the consequences would be dire. 

“If these tensions continue to escalate, the consequences could be dire, including humanitarian crises, economic disruption, and security challenges. The social fabric of Warri and its neighbouring areas could unravel, leading to loss of life, displacement, and destruction of property,” he warned.

Mulade-Sheriff emphasized the need for swift and comprehensive action from both the state and Federal Governments, as well as community leaders, to de-escalate the situation and establish long-term peace. 

He noted that the tensions amongst the ethnic nationalities, which have been fuelled by recent controversial ward delineation exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Warri, posed a significant threat to the region’s stability and peace.

“The Warri Federal Constituency has a history of ethnic tensions, dating back to the colonial era and post-independence, when arbitrary political decisions redefined traditional boundaries and interests. 

“The Warri crisis of the mid-1990s, which saw clashes between the Itsekiri and Ijaw communities over land and resource control, is a notable example. 

“Despite efforts at peace-building, these tensions have persisted, often triggered by local elections, resource allocation, and political power struggles,” he noted.

Mulade-Sheriff, also an advocate of peace, attributed the recurring crisis in Warri Federal Constituency to political power struggles, contentious distribution of political power with each ethnic group feeling marginalized and accusing the others of electoral fraud and imbalanced representation.

Same, he noted, had to do with resource control and ownership with disputes over oil and natural gas resources with each community claiming rights over revenue and land.

Mulade-Sheriff also identified cultural and identity disputes with deep-seated cultural and historical grievances, often manipulated by politicians for electoral advantage as part of the causes of issues in Warri Federal Constituency.

He maintained that: “If these tensions continue to escalate, the consequences could be dire, including humanitarian crises, economic disruption, and security challenges. The social fabric of Warri and its neighbouring areas could unravel, leading to loss of life, displacement and destruction of property,” he added.

Mulade-Sheriff suggested the establishment of an inclusive dialogue platform through a multi-stakeholder dialogue to air grievances and find common ground as part of efforts to find a permanent solution to the crisis in Warri.

He also looked into power sharing agreements by ensuring fair representation of all ethnic groups in political offices and resource distribution as well as put in place security measures by deploying security forces while prioritizing community trust and confidence-building measures to ensure permanent peace in the area.

According to him,  “The  stability of Warri is crucial not only for Delta State but for Nigeria as a whole,” noting that it was imperative that all stakeholders act swiftly and in concert to prevent further violence and restore peace and stability to the region.

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