Youths and other stakeholders of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, have accused the Chairman of the LG Council, Hon. Agbateyiniro Weyinmi Isaac (popularly known as Agbas), of actions they claim are capable of heightening ethnic tension in the area, while calling on appropriate authorities including the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to intervene in the interest of peace.

In a statement made available to the media during a press briefing in Olabrakonpre Community Town Hall in the Kingdom, on Wednesday (July 1, 2026), the group alleged that the Council chairman had aligned himself with what it described as an Itsekiri-driven agenda aimed at creating division within Warri South, and further alleged that the chairman was using his office in ways that could undermine peaceful coexistence among the ethnic nationalities in the local government.

The group appealed to the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to call the council chairman to order, warning that continued actions capable of inflaming ethnic sentiments could threaten the peace and stability of the area.

They said, "We call on the appropriate authorities, particularly the Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to call him to order before his reckless actions plunge our beloved local government into unnecessary conflict that will benefit no one except the likes of Chief Ayiri Emami and his cohorts, who defiantly thrive on chaos and escalated tension."

Reaffirming what it described as the historical presence of the Ogbe-Ijoh people in Warri South, the group argued that the Ijaw ethnic nationality has been part of the local government's administrative structure since its inception, citing the Western Region Laws of Nigeria No. 177 of 1955, which established the Warri Urban District Council, asserting that the Ogbe-Ijoh community was formally recognised alongside the Urhobo and Itsekiri communities.

According to the statement, the Ijaw people were allocated four autonomous electoral wards in the then Warri Township—Alders Town B3, Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C1, Ogbe-Ijoh Ward C2, and Government Area F1—maintaining that these historical records contradict claims that the Ijaw people are recent settlers in Warri South.

"This fact alone detonates the argument that Ijaws are recent "tenants" in Warri South, a narrative that the Itsekiris have persistently propagated to justify their hegemonic ambitions and to delegitimise the Ijaw presence in their ancestral homeland," they noted.

The group also pointed to the appointment of Hon. Saro Igangan as Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture in Warri South Local Government in 1998, as well as her subsequent appointments to the Agbarha Community Development Commission in 2005 and 2009, describing the appointments as evidence of the longstanding political participation and recognition of the Ijaw people within the council.

While restating its position on the historical identity of Warri, the group argued that attempts to alter or reinterpret the area's history would not erase what it described as documented historical facts regarding the presence of the Ijaw people.

The statement further alleged that recent political narratives surrounding Warri South were designed to advance ethnic dominance and urged Nigerians to critically examine what it described as attempts to rewrite history.

The group concluded by calling on the Delta State Government and the Federal Government to take proactive steps to preserve peace, justice, equity, and fair representation in Warri South Local Government Area, while it also urged all stakeholders to embrace dialogue and lawful engagement rather than actions capable of escalating ethnic tensions.

"The Ogbe-Ijoh people of Warri South LGA stand united in our demand for justice, equity, and fair representation, and we will not be intimidated by the reckless rhetoric and divisive tactics of those who seek to perpetuate their dominance through falsehood and manipulation," they affirmed.

Stakeholders from the Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom that signed the statement are the President General, Amb Victor Akemotubo (President General), Comrade Beriyaide Moses (Chairman, Olabrakonpre Community), Preye Dazi (Chairman, Loitiebiri Community), Ebikeneye Tikiri (Chairman, Ogbokone), Emomotimi Azebri (Chairman, Kemekedoume Community), Mr. Timi Kaskara (Chairman, Bulouama Community), and Jacob Gbokou (Chairman, Eweingbene Community).