A youth leader and National President of the Niger Delta Youth Council, Comrade Bene Youkore Mamamu, has described the removal of the Monbene III 10th coronation anniversary banners placed around the city of Warri in Delta State, allegedly by Itsekiri youths, as "provocative" and an attempt to lure the Ijaws into another round of crisis in the State.

Mamamu, in a statement he issued on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, condemned the action of those responsible for the act he warned could lead to the breakdown of law and order.

Describing the act as a blatant disrespect to the traditional institution, he warned that moves to truncate the 10th Coronation of HRM Couple Mackson Oromoni (JP), Monbene III, the monarch of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, will be resisted and met with commensurate action.

He said. "This is not just an attack on the banners; it is an attack on our culture, our heritage, and our identity as a people. We will not stand by and allow such acts of attack to go unchallenged," the youth leader warned.

Mamamu called on Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as security operatives across the country, to immediately take note of the situation. 

He emphasized that the alleged actions of the Itsekiri people, who are reportedly behind the removal of the banners, could be interpreted as a declaration of war against the Ogbe-Ijoh people in Warri Kingdom.

However, the NDYC National President called for restraints and dialogue, while noting that Niger Delta youths are weary of crisis and that measures should be taken by all parties to prevent another round of crisis.

"This is a critical moment for peace and unity in the Niger Delta. We urge all parties involved to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue rather than resorting to violence. The youth of the Niger Delta are tired of conflict; we want development, peace, and a future where our voices are heard," he stressed 

The banners, which were prominently displayed in various locations around Warri, were intended to commemorate a decade of leadership under Monbene III, who has been a pivotal figure in promoting peace and development in the region. 

The removal of the banners, which has angered the Ijaws, has also brought to the fore the need for the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led government and other stakeholders in the State to take seriously the tension brewing in the Warri Federal Constituency, which has its roots in the fresh wards delineation exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) whose released report (not yet implemented) has pitted the three ethnic groups of Urhobo, Itsekiri and Ijaw in a political battle of who is dominant in the Constituency.

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