Allege move to forcefully annex their areas

By Jimitota Onoyume

Itsekiri communities have sent a save our soul cry, SOS, to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to prevail on some leaders of Gbaramatu kingdom to stop what they dubbed attempt to forcefully annex their communities in Warri federal constituency.

Flanked by leaders of several Itsekiri communities in Warri, Delta state , Mr Alex Eyengho at a press briefing Wednesday in Warri , Delta state said the federal government should urgently intervene to stop the ugly situation.

He dismissed as false recent media claim by some persons in Kantu that the community was of Gbaramatu kingdom , adding that the Gbaramatu leaders were already allegedly coercing and harassing some persons from Ijaghala community to address an alleged stage managed press conferences ceding the area to Gbaramatu.

He said : “Ijaghala community is a peaceful island along the Excravos river in the Warri South West local government area of Delta state. In the same vein, Kantu is a peaceful community located in a creek off the Excravos river. Most of the people of Ijaghala and Kantu are by birth partly Itsekiri and Ijaw ethnic groups in Delta state .

“However while Ijaghala land is owned by Ugborodo community , Kantu land is owned by Omadino community both in Warri kingdom ,under the Olu of Warri.”

” This urgent save our soul cry , SOS, is to the President of the federal Republic of Nigeria , the governor of Delta state and the Nigerian security agencies . It is a cry borne out of Ijaghala and Kantu existential threats in the hands of Ijaws , particularly those of Gbaramatu. The unacceptable gun- on -the head reprieve conditions given to Kantu and Ijaghala communities is that the leadership of both communities should compulsorily address a press conference where they must announce to the world that the Gbaramatu Ijaw own both communities failing which both communities shall be pulverized.”

” They have successfully got some Kantu people under duress to address the said press conference and have fixed Friday June 13, 2025 for Ijaghala community to follow suit. Since the very unwilling Ijaghala community is next there is palpable tension everywhere.

” Not in doubt the capacity to carry out their threat against Ijaghala. During the wake of the needless fratricidal Warri crisis in the late 90s , Ijaghala community was the first community along the Excravos river to be completely pulverized and sacked. “

Others who also spoke were 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.