By Kikelomo Adeleye, 25th April, 2025
News SOCIETY WATCH following for you : While the nation continues to grapple with mounting insecurity and overstretched security forces engaged in multiple operations across the country, a crisis with potentially devastating consequences is silently taking root—one that demands the urgent attention of the President and, most especially, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
This looming threat arises from the recent Supreme Court pronouncement concerning the delineation and creation of new polling units in Warri by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Given our volatile history and the fragile ethnic balance in the Niger Delta, particularly Warri, this development must not be taken lightly.
Unfortunately, a vast majority of Nigerians under the age of 35—who make up over 60% of the population—are unaware of the tragic “Warri Crisis” of the mid-1990s. Likewise, few outside the Southwest may recall the Ife-Modakeke crisis. These are not just footnotes in history; they are grim reminders of how political missteps and ethnic tensions can ignite devastating violence.
As an Itsekiri man who lived through the Warri crisis of 1996–1997, I speak from painful experience. That conflict, initially sparked by the relocation of a local government headquarters, snowballed into a full-blown war involving the Itsekiri, Urhobo, and Ijaw communities. The violence raged for over two years, claiming thousands of lives, displacing families, and decimating Warri—once hailed as Nigeria’s oil city. Decades later, Warri is still struggling to recover from the devastation.
Today, we are seeing ominous signs of history threatening to repeat itself. The ethnic fault lines that led to the original crisis remain unresolved, and the proliferation of sophisticated arms in the Niger Delta today far exceeds what existed 30 years ago. If this crisis is not proactively addressed, it could spiral into an ethnic cleansing of unimaginable proportions.
I urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take swift and deliberate action. The National Security Adviser must immediately brief the President and lead a coordinated strategy to prevent this looming disaster. This includes transparent communication, conflict-sensitive political decisions, and neutral engagement of stakeholders.
As someone from one of the three major ethnic groups in Warri, I affirm that the Itsekiri, Urhobo, and Ijaw people have coexisted for centuries. Intermarriages are so common that it’s rare to find an Itsekiri without Urhobo or Ijaw heritage, and vice versa. The people want peace. The real threat is the political class, whose selfish agendas often exploit ethnic divisions for personal gain.
Warri cannot afford another descent into chaos. Those who stand to gain politically from destruction must not be allowed to drive the narrative. Government officials must remain neutral and prioritize national interest over personal ambition.
As Nelson Mandela once said, “It is easy to break down and destroy. The heroes are those who make peace and build.” It is time for the Nigerian leadership to be heroic.
The clock is ticking. Let us act now to preserve the fragile peace and rebuild what remains of Warri.
God bless Nigeria.
