By Jose Oby 
INEC Delineation Exercise Allegedly Targets Itsekiri Interests — Ex-Warri North Secretary
Warri, Delta State — June 11, 2025
A prominent indigene of Warri South-West Local Government Area, Mr. Alex Oritsegbeyiwa Eyengho, has accused former militant leader Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, of threatening the leadership of Kantu and Ijaghala communities into falsely declaring allegiance to the Gbaramatu-Ijaw.
Speaking at a press conference in Warri on Wednesday, Eyengho alleged that Tompolo and his associates delivered “gun-on-the-head” ultimatums, demanding that community leaders publicly announce that both Kantu and Ijaghala belong to the Gbaramatu-Ijaw, or face violent consequences.
“Ijaghala land belongs to Ugborodo, and Kantu belongs to Omadino — both Itsekiri communities under the Olu of Warri. This coercion is unacceptable,” Eyengho stated.
He claimed that under duress, a faction of Kantu leadership had already held a press briefing supporting the Ijaw claim, with a similar event scheduled for Ijaghala on Friday, June 13. Eyengho, a filmmaker and media professional, warned that this pressure campaign is a direct threat to the communities’ existence.
Allegations of Violence, Intimidation, and Political Manipulation
Eyengho listed a series of grievances involving alleged acts of violence, forced cultural imposition, and political pressure by Ijaw elements, including:
- The sacking of Ijaghala during the 1990s Warri crisis by Tompolo-led forces.
- Exhumation and reburial of a family member in line with Ijaw customs, against Itsekiri traditions.
- Attempts to force Ijaghala’s exit from the Ugborodo-controlled Madangho Ward to the Gbaramatu Ward.
- INEC’s controversial ward delineation, which allegedly removed one electoral unit from Ijaghala and reassigned it to the Gbaramatu area.
- Pressure to rename Egogo Primary School in Ijaghala to “Igbeha Primary School,” which the community rejected.
According to Eyengho, these actions are part of a broader effort to assert Gbaramatu-Ijaw control in Warri South-West, allegedly backed by the financial power Tompolo wields through the Federal Government’s pipeline surveillance contract awarded to his firm, TANTITA Security Services.
“Tompolo is using state resources to intimidate Itsekiri communities and annex their lands,” Eyengho claimed. “We call on President Tinubu and Nigeria’s security forces to intervene immediately.”
Ex-Warri North Scribe: INEC Deliberately Manipulated Coordinates
Also speaking at the briefing, former Secretary of Warri North LGA, Mr. Samuel Meyiwa Khalil (SMK), described INEC’s recent delineation exercise as “fraudulent and biased.”
“INEC copied and pasted GPS coordinates, creating wards that don’t exist on land. Some coordinates point to rivers or communities in other states, just to favor the Ijaw,” Khalil said.
He further claimed that polling units and schools were wrongly assigned to areas where Ijaw settlers do not traditionally reside, and referenced historical efforts by previous Delta State governors to relocate Ijaw settlers from Warri back to their native Bayelsa and other states.
Call for Federal Action
Eyengho and Khalil jointly urged the Federal Government to:
- Investigate the alleged threats and acts of violence against Ijaghala and Kantu residents.
- Review INEC’s ward delineation in Warri Federal Constituency.
- Reassess the exclusive surveillance contract awarded to Tompolo’s company in the interest of fairness and peace.
“We seek justice, equity, and an end to the intimidation of our people. Warri must not be turned into a battleground again,” Eyengho concluded.