By Indigenes of Ijaghala and Kantu communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have cried onto President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to save them from a purported impending extinction.
Flanked by several leaders of the communities, a filmmaker, Alex Oritsegbeyiwa Eyengho, who raised the alarm over what he describes as an existential threat, alleged that the former agitator, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and other Gbaramatu-Ijaws, are behind the plot.
Speaking at a press conference in Warri on Tuesday, Eyengho issued an urgent “Save Our Souls” appeal to President Tinubu, the Delta State government, and national security agencies.
He claimed that Tompolo’s group has issued death threats and threatened to raze Ijaghala and Kantu if the community leaders failed to publicly declare the Gbaramatu-Ijaw as rightful owners of the two lands by Friday, 13 June 2025.
“There is palpable fear and tension everywhere,” Eyengho said, warning that the threats are not idle. “They did it before during the Warri crises in the 1990s when Ijaghala was completely sacked. They can do it again.”
According to him, videos from Ijaw youths and Gbaramatu spokesperson, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, have circulated on social media, issuing ultimatums to the communities.
While some Kantu residents, he said, have already allegedly capitulated under duress, Ijaghala remains under immense pressure to follow suit before the Friday deadline.
Eyengho, who hails from both Ijaghala and Kantu, said the land ownership question had long been settled by courts in favour of the Itsekiri — with Ijaghala under Ugborodo and Kantu under Omadino, both under the Warri Kingdom.
He accused Tompolo of leveraging his influence through the Federal Government’s pipeline surveillance contract to oppress and intimidate Itsekiri communities.
“The surveillance contract has emboldened Tompolo to act with impunity, using his vast resources to annex Itsekiri lands and threaten peaceful communities,” Eyengho alleged. “This is a dangerous abuse of privilege and a threat to national security.”
He cited previous incidents to back his claims, including the forced reburial of his brother according to Ijaw customs, pressure to switch electoral wards, and attempts to rename the community’s only school.
He called on the Federal Government to investigate the threat and restore balance and peace to the Warri Federal Constituency.
The statement has been copied to top military and security officials, as well as the Delta State governor, while Tompolo, is yet to publicly respond to the allegations as of the time of this report.
Others, who also spoke, included Samuel Meyiwa, former Secretary Warri North local government area, Mr Oritseweyinmi Agimejone.
They enjoined the Federal Government to act swiftly to save the Itsekiri nation from alleged act to annex their communities.
Recall that just recently, a group of residents of the Kantu community declared their allegiance to the Gbaramatu Kingdom claiming they originated from there and denouncing any Itsekiri ties.
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