The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has once again stirred a contentious debate over the ownership of Warri, asserting that the oil-rich city in Delta State belongs to the Ijaw and not the Itsekiri ethnic group. The Council also issued a strong warning to President Bola Tinubu, urging him not to succumb to alleged blackmail aimed at terminating the oil pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tompolo’s Tantita Security Services.

At a press conference in Abuja, Prince Collins Eselemo, Grand Patron of the IYC, accused the Itsekiris of distorting historical facts, insisting that the Ijaws are the original inhabitants of Warri and have ancestral ties to the throne. He questioned the legitimacy of Itsekiri claims and cited constitutional provisions that place land ownership in the custody of state governors.

 “There is no Itsekiri man whose great-great-grandfather is buried in Warri urban. The Land Use Act overrides any ancient claim to land ownership. Anyone asserting ownership from the 14th or 16th century is simply misleading the public,” Eselemo declared.

Eselemo further criticized the Itsekiri’s argument on the delimitation of constituencies, referencing a Supreme Court judgment that instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to correct past errors in constituency boundaries.

 “The Supreme Court has settled this matter. Any claim based on outdated delineation lacks merit,” he added.

On the pipeline surveillance contract, Eselemo passionately defended the Federal Government’s decision to engage Tantita Security Services, led by ex-militant leader Tompolo, to protect Nigeria’s critical oil assets. He described the attempt to revoke the contract as a “cheap blackmail” and urged President Tinubu to stay the course.

 “Tompolo’s work has drastically reduced oil theft and sabotage. The contract is not just about surveillance—it’s about national economic security and youth empowerment,” Eselemo said.

“Even Itsekiris are benefiting from Tantita’s employment model which reflects equity and inclusion. This is not just an Ijaw affair—it’s a national asset.”

The IYC’s remarks come amid renewed ethnic tensions in the Niger Delta over land rights, political representation, and oil revenue control. Eselemo reiterated that Warri’s cosmopolitan identity cannot be rewritten by ethnic sentiment, emphasizing the historical significance of Forcados—an Ijaw town—as Nigeria’s first colonial administrative seat.

As the controversy deepens, calls for dialogue and constitutional adherence grow louder from various stakeholders in the oil-rich region.

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