Aftermath of a security meeting with stakeholders in Warri, Delta State on the heated argument surrounding Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ward delineation conveyed by the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police Zone 5 Benin, AIG Salman-Dogo Garba, which was held in his office in Benin City on Thursday, June 19th, 2025, all the parties have aagreed to work towards the peace and security of Warri Federal Constituency, they pledged to call their youths to order and work towards maintaining the existing peace in order to bring back economic prosperity to the locality.
This was disclosed by SP Tijani Momoh, the Zone 5 Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), in a Press Release.
In attendance at the meeting were notable personalities including the AIG Zone 5 Headquarters, Benin City; the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command, Asaba, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda; the Area Commander Warri; the Local Government Councils Chairmen of Warri South West, Warri North and Warri South; the spokesperson and representative of Gbaramatu Kingdom; the representative from the Palace of the Olu of Warri; representatives of Isaba Kingdom; representatives of Itsekiri; representatives of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom; representatives of the Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom and the representatives of Agbarha Warri Kingdom, amongst other highly placed figures.
CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, disclosed that following the delineation exercise carried out by INEC in Warri, there has been problems among the three ethnic groups in the area and he therefore sought the help of the AIG Zone 5 Benin to step in to avoid further escalation and break down of law and other.
AIG Salman-Dogo Garba explained that he conveyed the meeting at the instance of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, and noted that there is no difference between the Ijaws, Itsekiris and the Urhobos and warned them all to avoid any issues that will cause a repeat of the 2003/2004 crisis.
The AIG further appealed to the stakeholders on the need for them to control their youths, and refrain them from making inciting and inflammatory statements, especially on the social media. He reiterated that when a life is lost, nobody can bring it back.
Amongst the speakers were the representative of the Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, the representative of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, the representative of Isaba Kingdom, the representative of Agbarha Warri Kingdom, the representative of Gbaramatu Kingdom and the three local government councils chairmen. All the speakers sued for peace and noted that they do not want a crisis in Warri.
They also noted that the delineation exercise carried out by INEC has not been finalised and that INEC has asked all aggrieved parties to study the draft and bring up their complaints, observations and contributions.
The AIG, in conclusion, warned that any further breakdown of law and order will not be tolerated, and the trend of name-calling and social media protest will not be tolerated henceforth, stressing that anyone caught will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
He also warned that no ethnic group should refer to another ethnic group as Customary Tenants.
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