Precious Anga
Lagos — Residents of several Ijaw communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Monday staged protests at multiple oil and gas facilities, disrupting activities as tensions over the implementation of a controversial ward delineation exercise intensified.
The protesters, comprising women, youths and community leaders from communities including Diebiri, Ogbe-Ijoh, Egbema and Gbaramatu, gathered at strategic oil installations demanding the immediate implementation of the ward and polling unit delineation report prepared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Implement Warri Delineation Report,” “Court-Ordered Judgment on Wards and Polling Units Delineation,” and “No Implementation, No Production,” the demonstrators insisted they would sustain the protest until concrete action is taken on their demands.
Community representatives accused INEC of delaying the implementation of the delineation exercise despite completing consultations and presenting a final report to stakeholders.
According to the protesters, the delineation process was designed to address long-standing concerns over political representation and electoral boundaries within the Warri Federal Constituency. They argued that delaying its implementation could further deepen grievances among affected communities ahead of future elections.
Several community leaders described the protest as peaceful, stressing that their objective was to draw national attention to what they consider an unresolved electoral issue.
They called on the Federal Government, INEC and other stakeholders to urgently intervene and ensure the implementation of the delineation framework through constructive engagement and dialogue.
Sources within the affected communities said activities at some oil facilities were temporarily disrupted as protesters occupied strategic areas around the installations, although the full impact on production could not be independently verified.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the affected oil companies nor INEC had issued official statements regarding the protest or its effect on operations.
The demonstration comes amid growing tensions between Ijaw and Itsekiri groups over the ward delineation exercise, a dispute that has sparked competing claims and counter-protests across parts of Delta State in recent weeks.
Security agencies were reportedly monitoring the situation, while community leaders maintained that the implementation of the delineation report remains their primary demand.
The controversy is the latest chapter in the long-running debate over electoral boundaries, political representation and resource control within the Warri Federal Constituency, an issue that continues to generate tension among communities in the oil-producing region.
