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Okiemute Okpomor
Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State has been called upon to to, as a matter of urgency, set up a Panel of Inquiry to investigate the inter ethnic crisis between the Itsekiri and Ijaw people of Warri Federal Constituency of the State.
This call was made by the Itsekiri Traditional Council under the auspices of Warri Council of Chiefs while addressing journalists at the Palace of the Olu of Warri, they took a position on the recent controversial removal of the banners proclaiming the 10th Coronation anniversary of the Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri Kingdom, HRM Couple Mackson Oromoni, Monbene III, from some locations in Warri metropolis insisting that the said localities fall under Itsekiri jurisdiction.
Speaking on behalf of the Council of Chiefs, High Chief Mene Brown, the Ogwa-Olusan of Warri Kingdom declared , “this is our homeland. We don’t want it distorted. We are for peace”.
High Chief Mene called on the Inspector-General of Police “to immediately conduct a thorough investigation into the recent killing of Dele Ogunbayo in the Pessu area of Warri on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Government should review its policy of entrusting security apparatus to private citizens.”
Also, the Itsekiri traditional Council urged the Ogbe-Ijoh monarch, HRM Monbene III to, “forthwith, cause to be removed, all the said banners and billboards mounted in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria, same being outside the reign of His Majesty by the judgment of the Lower Court that His Majesty has appealed against”.
High Chief Mene spoke further, “we call on His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State to please urgently do the needful which is to cause a proper investigation of this development with a view to calling on all those involved to order; as they cannot be seen serving in the same government they are seeking to destabilize it.
“We appreciate that this is a festering situation which he has, unfortunately, inherited rather than created by him. We pray he will have the wisdom and all that he needs to do the needful to, not only douse the tension but to finally resolve it amicably.
“What is more likely to cause unrest and breach to peace in any society is the disregard for the rule of law and in the ongoing gymnastics between brain and fist. It is only logical to conclude that the first approach which has become the characteristic of some of the characters constitutes more of a threat to the peace and tranquility of the area than the respect for the rule of law.
“The Itsekiris as a people have consistently urged Government at the Local, State and National levels to continue to act in accordance with the laws; not minding whose ox is gored”.
Also speaking, Chief Robinson Ariyo, Egogo of Warri Kingdom said, “we carried our investigations for the first 48 hours, immediately the incident occurred, the position of the military was quite clear that they were not involved at all.
“The military men cannot be seen to be approbating and reprobating, we want to choose to accept what they said in the first 48 hours (regarding the brutal murder of Ogunbayo) not the latest statement issued 72 hours after.
“The military pointed to the nature of firearms. Our reaction to emergency case, is different from our reaction to normal case. What I have here is a threat from an Ijaw WhatsApp group, saying somebody will be killed in Pessu. Less than 6hrs before this man (Dele Ogunbayo) was shot dead.”
While reacting to a question put forward by a Journalist concerning Governor Oborevwori’s statement Friday September 19, 2025, Chief Ariyo, a lawyer has this to say, “this is not a time for we to say we should start talking about social media, we are talking about lives.
“The primary duty of government is to protect lives and properties. The murder of a person is to be considered by the government as homicide.
“A government that fails in its duty in protecting lives and properties is not a government. The death of a human being, should touch every other human being, irrespective of the tribe.”
