IPAC 🇵🇪

PETITION: Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited as a Tool of Terror, Occupation, and Annexation of Itsekiri Homeland To: His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria The Presidency, Aso Rock Villa Abuja, Nigeria Cc: The National Security Adviser (NSA) Minister of Defence Chief of Defence Staff National Human Rights Commission Amnesty International Nigeria United Nations Human Rights Office (West Africa) Civil Society Organisations and the Media Subject: Urgent Call to Investigate Tantita Security Services Limited, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), and the Alleged Militarised Occupation, Terror, and Annexation of Itsekiri Communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State We, the undersigned concerned indigenes and citizens of the Itsekiri Nation, hereby bring to the urgent attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the international community the grave, ongoing atrocities, land annexation, and human rights violations perpetrated by Tantita Security Services Limited, allegedly under the control of ex-militant Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), in our ancestral lands, in Warri Kingdom BACKGROUND 1. The #Warri Crisis (1997–2003): During the height of the Warri Crisis, numerous Itsekiri communities, most notably #Ugborodo, Aja-Ugbodundun, and others, were violently attacked by armed militants led by Tompolo. These attacks led to the beheading of elders, sexual violence against women and girls, the killing of children, and mass displacement. Homes were razed, communities abandoned, and crimes against humanity were committed with little or no accountability. 2. Militancy as a Smokescreen for Oil Theft: The Warri Crisis provided cover for illegal oil bunkering operations led by factions such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), many of which were funded or directed by individuals now in powerful positions. It is on public record that Government Ekpemupolo played a key leadership role in these groups (see: Sahara Reporters, 2008). 3. Federal Amnesty and the Rise of Tantita: Rather than being held accountable for past atrocities, #Tompolo was granted amnesty in 2009 and shortly afterward awarded massive security contracts under the Niger Delta amnesty programme. By 2012, he was licensed to import arms and military-grade patrol boats via his company Global West Vessel Specialists Ltd (Sahara Reporters, 2012). Former President Olusegun #Obasanjo publicly questioned the legality and wisdom of arming private individuals with military-grade weapons (see: NigerianEye, 2015). 4. Establishment of Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL): Tantita, ostensibly a private pipeline surveillance company, was awarded multi-billion-naira contracts to secure national oil infrastructure. However, the reality on the ground reveals that TSSL has become a paramilitary extension of Tompolo’s influence and power in the region, allegedly used to terrorise Itsekiri communities, annex land, and suppress dissent under the cover of "security operations." CURRENT SITUATION Illegal Occupation of Communities: Tantita operatives, allegedly acting under Tompolo’s directive, have invaded and occupied over 20 Itsekiri communities, including Aja-Ugbodundun, Uso, Aja-Elebe, Akpata, and Sahara in Ugborodo. The community of Sahara has reportedly been under illegal occupation since 2021, renamed “Saharagbene”, a blatant attempt at erasing #Itsekiri identity and heritage. Militarisation and Intimidation: #Tantita maintains a private cell facility in #Opuraja, Delta State, where individuals are allegedly detained and tortured. This is a gross violation of both Nigerian and international law concerning unlawful detention and private armed militias. Copy @hrw @UNHumanRights @UN_HRC @CommissionerHR

@olowo_ogboye1 @Omojuwa Oritse in Itsekiri is Almighty God. Ọsan / Umalẹ is deity.

@Omojuwa That title is simply "Atupa Orisa" in pure Yoruba! Which means "the light of the dirty" which is further known as "the light of the gods" I thoroughly enjoyed her speech, at least I can understand 50% of her speech in Itsekiri yoruba

When the Utukpa-Oritse of Warri Kingdom, awo Donald Trump, First Lady Remi Tinubu was speaking during this ceremony, I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that she was speaking Itsekiri and I was understanding in Yoruba.

It is therefore careless if not outright intellectual bankruptcy — for anyone to claim that the Itsekiri have nothing to do with Sapele or that they only arrived there recently. Historical and legal evidence shows the opposite. The truth is that the Okpe came to Sapele and met the Itsekiri there, not the other way around. Let it also be stated clearly: the Orodje of Okpe has the right to site a palace within the 510 acres of land legally recognized as Okpe land in Sapele Local Government Area. However, attempting to site a palace on Itsekiri land within Sapele LGA is a provocation capable of leading to unrest — something no responsible leadership should encourage. Sapele has remained peaceful because boundaries, history, and court judgments have largely been respected. We therefore call on the Okpe Council to respect these boundaries, adhere strictly to legal and historical realities, and refrain from actions capable of destabilizing a town that has enjoyed peace for generations. Peace must not be sacrificed on the altar of historical distortion. Signed: Comr. Lily-white O Esigbone Chairman Mr. Oritsegbubemi Adrian Edema Chairman itsekiri historical front UK Silva Samuel Maku Secretary Comr. Oritseweyiologbara Kwame Woode PRO warrigist.com.ng/2026/01/25/sap…

Sapele Is Not Solely Okpe Territory: Itsekiri Historical Front (IHF) Backs Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, Alema of Warri Kingdom The Itsekiri and Okpe people are among the closest ethnic groups in Delta State. We have lived side by side for centuries, traded together, intermarried, and maintained a relationship built on mutual respect. This longstanding bond should not be destroyed by recent territorial claims rooted in misinformation. That said, the Itsekiri Historical Front (IHF) cannot remain silent when history and law are being distorted. Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, the Alema of Warri Kingdom, is absolutely correct. Sapele does not belong solely to the Okpe. Sapele is a multi-ethnic town with deep Itsekiri historical roots. Any attempt to present Sapele as exclusively Okpe territory is historically false and legally misleading. It is important to state clearly that the Okpe — referred to in early records as “Sobo” — were not documented in Sapele until the late 1800s and early 1900s. By contrast, the Itsekiri were well documented by European explorers, traders, and colonial officials from the early 1800s through the mid-1900s as being present, active, and influential in Sapele. The question therefore is simple: where were the Okpe during this period? How can absolute ownership be claimed over Sapele when historical records show that, for a long time, the Itsekiri were the only clearly documented people there? European and colonial sources are unambiguous. These are not opinions; they are direct historical records: • “First we come to the Jakris, who are connected in race and language with the Yoruba people, extending from the Mahin country on the west to the Forcados on the east, and inland about as far as Sapele.” — Captain H. L. Gallwey, British Vice-Consul, 1893 (The Geographical Journal) The question we keep asking Okpe leaders is a simple one they have consistently avoided: if the Itsekiri allegedly came to Sapele as refugees during the Chief Nana–British war of 1894, how is it historically possible that the Itsekiri were already documented as being present, influential, and in control of Sapele in 1892–1893? These records exist. They are written, dated, and traceable. History does not move backwards. • “West of the Niger Delta, the Itsekiri settlements included Ebrohemie, Warri and Sapele.” — another writer, covering events from late 1800s • “I am arranging for carriers and water transport with the Jakri Chiefs of Warri, Benin and Sapele, so that when I meet Admiral Rawson at Brass…” — European Captain, 1897 These records clearly establish Itsekiri settlements, influence, and chiefly authority extending inland to Sapele, explicitly naming Sapele alongside Warri and the Benin River within the Itsekiri sphere of operation. Beyond history, the law is equally clear. In the Sapele land case presided over by Justice Jackson — the same judge who earlier ruled in favour of the Itsekiri in the Warri land dispute against the Agbassa. the Okpe-Urhobo were granted possessory rights over 510 acres of land in Sapele under WACA 41/43. This judgment did not grant them ownership of Sapele, but ownership of the land in dispute which is the 510 acres in Sapele LGA. By contrast, the Itsekiri were awarded full title to Obotie land on the 27th day of March, 1925, a judgment reaffirmed in 2008, covering over 1,800 acres of land. In addition, the Itsekiri historically owned and exercised control over several tracts of land in and around Sapele, including Ugberikoko, Ajimele, Ogun-Aja in Sapele etc. These facts firmly establish that Sapele is partly owned by the Itsekiri and partly by the Okpe-Urhobo, not exclusively by any single group.

@ThinkYoruba_1st Thank You for sharing. You can see the kind of country we find ourselves where people make threat to a whole tribe in broad daylight and get away with it.

Subject: Urgent Call for Investigation into Threats by Tantita Security Services Dear Relevant Authorities, We wish to draw your attention to a serious matter involving a high-ranking member of Tantita Security Services, who has publicly threatened violence against the Itsekiri community while dressed in the organization’s uniform. A video circulating online captures this individual stating, “Itsekiris go run leave Warri,” which suggests an intent to displace and harm the Itsekiri people, potentially for territorial gain. This alarming statement provides clear evidence supporting the Itsekiri community’s ongoing protests against Tantita Security Services’ presence in their territories. The remarks indicate a dangerous agenda that threatens the safety and stability of the region. We urgently request that the Presidency, His Excellency President Bola Tinubu, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Security Adviser (NSA), and other relevant authorities initiate an immediate and thorough investigation into Tantita Security Services and the individual responsible for these threats, along with any accomplices. Swift action is critical to prevent escalation and ensure the safety of the Itsekiri people. Should the Federal Government fail to address this matter promptly, the Itsekiri community may be compelled to take necessary measures to protect itself from the threats posed by this organization. We respectfully call for your immediate intervention to uphold peace and security in the region. Sincerely, ORITSEGBUBEMI A EDEMA IPAC UK 🇬🇧 CC: @NGRPresident, @officialABAT, @OfficialDSSNG, @HQNigerianArmy, @Official_ONSA, @DHQNigeria, @tvcnewsng, @TVCconnect, @ARISEtv Credit: @ipac2060 #TantitaThreats, #Itsekiri, #Warri, #NigeriaSecurity, #InvestigateTantita, #PresidentTinubu, #DSS, #NSA, #ProtectItsekiri, #StopViolence

Subject: Urgent Call for Investigation into Threats by Tantita Security Services Dear Relevant Authorities, We wish to draw your attention to a serious matter involving a high-ranking member of Tantita Security Services, who has publicly threatened violence against the Itsekiri community while dressed in the organization’s uniform. A video circulating online captures this individual stating, “Itsekiris go run leave Warri,” which suggests an intent to displace and harm the Itsekiri people, potentially for territorial gain. This alarming statement provides clear evidence supporting the Itsekiri community’s ongoing protests against Tantita Security Services’ presence in their territories. The remarks indicate a dangerous agenda that threatens the safety and stability of the region. We urgently request that the Presidency, His Excellency President Bola Tinubu, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Security Adviser (NSA), and other relevant authorities initiate an immediate and thorough investigation into Tantita Security Services and the individual responsible for these threats, along with any accomplices. Swift action is critical to prevent escalation and ensure the safety of the Itsekiri people. Should the Federal Government fail to address this matter promptly, the Itsekiri community may be compelled to take necessary measures to protect itself from the threats posed by this organization. We respectfully call for your immediate intervention to uphold peace and security in the region. Sincerely, ORITSEGBUBEMI A EDEMA
IPAC UK 🇬🇧 CC: @NGRPresident, @officialABAT, @OfficialDSSNG, @HQNigerianArmy, @Official_ONSA, @DHQNigeria, @tvcnewsng, @TVCconnect, @ARISEtv #TantitaThreats, #Itsekiri, #Warri, #NigeriaSecurity, #InvestigateTantita, #PresidentTinubu, #DSS, #NSA, #ProtectItsekiri, #StopViolence

We want this movie on @netflix: The true story of Oyeomasan, an African prince (later known as Dom Domingos / Olu Atuwatse I) who was sent to Portugal, studied in Coimbra, and built close ties with King Philip III of Spain & Portugal. He married a Portuguese noblewoman, Maria Pereira, returned to his kingdom in 1611, and became king. Based on real events (1602–1644). Title: Domingos: Prince of Warri A royal love story, a bridge between worlds, and a history worth telling. Share and Retweet until it gets to @netflix, @NetflixNaija, @whatonnetflix

RE: IHF Response to Baseless Claims by the Self-Acclaimed Concerned Indigenous Stakeholders of Warri Federal Constituency: Affirming Historical and Legal Facts on Itsekiri Ownership nigerdeltavanguard.com/re-ihf-respons…

Congratulations to an Itsekiri daughter, McCarthy Oritsematosan Oritsetseyigbemi Jessy on her outstanding achievement as the overall winner of the NDLEA Inter-School Essay competition established by the Federal Government of Nigeria. She is proudly Warri and Itsekiri.

Thank you, former Presidents @GEJonathan and @MBuhari, for funneling money and weapons to Tompolo, enabling him to attack my people and force them to claim they are Ijaw when they are Itsekiri. You both did a stellar job. Thank you, President @officialABAT for your contributions to Tompolo’s success through contracts to enable him smuggling more guns and thank for ignoring our letters, newspaper publications, news conference, and security meetings. Tompolo boasts you’re his friend and you’ll never help us. Thank you for the “new Nigeria” you’ve delivered. Our communities, Kantu and Jaghala, were threatened by Tompolo and his Tantita terrorist group to either declare they are Ijaw or face death, with their bodies dumped in the sea. Kantu surrendered to Tompolo last week. Jaghala’s leaders were kidnapped on June 12, 2025, forced to sign documents, and today, June 13, 2025, they caved to his threats. This is our reward for being law-abiding and waiting for government justice. Clearly, Nigeria’s federal government only respects violence. Thank you all. To the useless Warri Council of Chiefs (WCC), thank you for becoming red-robed symbols of failure, abandoning your duty to our people. To the worthless leaders, Ayiri Akonu Emami, Isaac Botosan, Michael Diden Ejele, Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan, Thomas Ereyitomi, Godwin Ebosa, and the rest of you, may our ancestors curse and punish you for your pathetic failures. Amen. Thank you all so much. By Lord_of_Warri on 𝕏 (Twitter). Itsekiri Activist and Historian.

PUBLIC NOTICE: TOMPOLO STILL AT IT! AS A RESULT OF MY PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, TOMPOLO EARLIER TODAY SUMMONED SOME IJAGHALA INDIGENES TO GBABOR (OPOROZA). AFTER FIRST USING DIRECT AND INDIRECT WORDS TO THREATEN ME IN ABSENTIAL FOR DARING TO ADDRESS THE PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY, HE REMINDED THEM THAT THE PRESS CONFERENCE BY THEM TO TELL THE WORLD THAT #GBARAMATU-IJAW OWNS IJAGHALA COMMUNITY, SHALL GO ON AS ORDERED, TOMORROW, FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2025. HE SAID HE AND HIS MEN SHALL BE PHYSICALLY THERE TO MONITOR THE PROCESS. HE ADDED THAT HE SHALL BRING A DOCUMENT STATING THAT GBARAMATU-IJAW OWNS IJAGHAGHA COMMUNITY, FOR THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN THE COMMUNITY TO SIGN: "The 2 #Gbaramatu Chiefs from the community, the Chairman and Secretary of the Community, the P.R.O of the community, the Youth Chairman and Secretary of the community, the Women leader of the community." #TOMPOLO WARNED THAT ANY OF THE ABOVE PERSONS WHO REFUSE TO SIGN THE DOCUMENT TOMORROW, SHALL NEVER EVER AGAIN BE ALLOWED TO STEP HIS OR HER FEET ON THE SOIL OF IJAGHALA COMMUNITY!!! ME: Onu'wee eekpe ju ola. Oson ma do'run, eetsi eeju unokan (i.e., the eclipse of the sun shall not be witnessed by one person alone). ** My name is Alex O. EYENGHO

Obodo Community Rejects Gbaramatu Land Claims, Issues Stern Warning #warrisentinel

Community leaders in Obodo, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, have denied reports linking the area to illegal oil bunkering activities. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday in Obodo, the leaders condemned the recent claims and images circulating on social media as false and deliberately misleading. Community spokesperson Eyantse Emmanuel stated that the materials were crafted to discredit the community and were allegedly orchestrated by certain individuals within the Nigerian Navy, in collaboration with Ijaw counterparts from the Gbaramatu Clan. He added that these efforts were being carried out under the guise of Tantita Security Services, a surveillance firm owned by ex-militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo. According to the community, the reports are part of a wider effort to portray Obodo as a hub for oil theft. They expressed serious concern that the repeated portrayal of Obodo as a centre for illegal activity is not only false but also pose a threat to the image and security of the community. “We want to categorically state that there is no bunkering activity happening around Obodo Community and its environs.” The briefing, which also addressed ongoing land ownership disputes with Gbaramatu leaders, followed a recent statement by the Nigerian Navy, which reported the discovery of two wooden boats containing 3,600 litres of suspected stolen crude oil in Warri South LGA. The Navy listed Obodo, Ugbokoko, Jatumi, and Obofo Oil Fields as locations tied to the incident. Obodo community representatives, however, disassociated the community from the discovery, asserting that the inclusion of their name in such reports was unsubstantiated and misleading. They called on federal and state authorities to intervene, investigate the source of the reports, and prevent the continued targeting of Obodo in narratives related to oil theft in the Niger Delta. They reaffirmed their commitment to lawful conduct and regional peace, warning that any further attempts to malign the community’s reputation would not go unchallenged. Read also: Obodo Community Rejects Gbaramatu Land Claims, Issues Stern Warning #warrisetinel

Crimes Against Humanity: Reports from local residents and video documentation (available via links below) describe recurring harassment, arbitrary arrests, physical assaults, and even enforced disappearances. There is growing fear that these actions, if left unchecked, will lead to the permanent displacement of Itsekiri people from their ancestral homeland. EVIDENCE AND SOURCES Facebook Testimony & Video 1 facebook.com/share/v/1ES97T… Sahara Reporters on Tompolo’s Militant Ties (2008) saharareporters.com/2008/12/31/asa… Arms Importation Scandal (2012) saharareporters.com/2012/07/24/jon…‘tompolo’-contract-supply-20-marine-patrol-vessels-navy Obasanjo’s Public Questions to Jonathan (2015) nigerianeye.com/2015/01/reveal… Tantita Accused of Crimes (Facebook Video) facebook.com/share/v/1EvpEe… facebook.com/share/v/16r3vs… Cell Facility at Opuraja facebook.com/share/v/16cqhr… OUR DEMANDS 1. Immediate Investigation: The Federal Government, the National Assembly, and the National Human Rights Commission must launch an independent, transparent investigation into Tantita Security Services Ltd., Government Ekpemupolo, and all alleged atrocities against Itsekiri communities. 2. Withdrawal of Tantita from Itsekiri Territories: Tantita operatives must be withdrawn from all occupied Itsekiri communities, and the original names of these places restored. 3. Disarmament of Private Militias: No private company or individual should be authorised to bear arms or maintain private detention facilities. 4. Justice for Victims: Perpetrators of violence, past and present, must be brought to justice. Victims and affected communities must receive reparations and proper security guarantees. 5. Government Protection: We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to protect the Itsekiri Nation and ensure that no group, individual, or corporation is above the law. CONCLUSION The Itsekiri people have suffered enough, from the Warri Crisis to the present-day occupation of their land. We call on your administration to show leadership and uphold justice. Nigeria cannot afford to reward those who once tore it apart and now disguise exploitation under the cloak of patriotism and "security contracts." We are peaceful people. But peace without justice is merely submission. Mr President, save our land. Protect our people. Uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

PETITION: Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited as a Tool of Terror, Occupation, and Annexation of Itsekiri Homeland To: His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria The Presidency, Aso Rock Villa Abuja, Nigeria Cc: The National Security Adviser (NSA) Minister of Defence Chief of Defence Staff National Human Rights Commission Amnesty International Nigeria United Nations Human Rights Office (West Africa) Civil Society Organisations and the Media Subject: Urgent Call to Investigate Tantita Security Services Limited, Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), and the Alleged Militarised Occupation, Terror, and Annexation of Itsekiri Communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State We, the undersigned concerned indigenes and citizens of the Itsekiri Nation, hereby bring to the urgent attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the international community the grave, ongoing atrocities, land annexation, and human rights violations perpetrated by Tantita Security Services Limited, allegedly under the control of ex-militant Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), in our ancestral lands, in Warri Kingdom BACKGROUND 1. The #Warri Crisis (1997–2003): During the height of the Warri Crisis, numerous Itsekiri communities, most notably #Ugborodo, Aja-Ugbodundun, and others, were violently attacked by armed militants led by Tompolo. These attacks led to the beheading of elders, sexual violence against women and girls, the killing of children, and mass displacement. Homes were razed, communities abandoned, and crimes against humanity were committed with little or no accountability. 2. Militancy as a Smokescreen for Oil Theft: The Warri Crisis provided cover for illegal oil bunkering operations led by factions such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), many of which were funded or directed by individuals now in powerful positions. It is on public record that Government Ekpemupolo played a key leadership role in these groups (see: Sahara Reporters, 2008). 3. Federal Amnesty and the Rise of Tantita: Rather than being held accountable for past atrocities, #Tompolo was granted amnesty in 2009 and shortly afterward awarded massive security contracts under the Niger Delta amnesty programme. By 2012, he was licensed to import arms and military-grade patrol boats via his company Global West Vessel Specialists Ltd (Sahara Reporters, 2012). Former President Olusegun #Obasanjo publicly questioned the legality and wisdom of arming private individuals with military-grade weapons (see: NigerianEye, 2015). 4. Establishment of Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL): Tantita, ostensibly a private pipeline surveillance company, was awarded multi-billion-naira contracts to secure national oil infrastructure. However, the reality on the ground reveals that TSSL has become a paramilitary extension of Tompolo’s influence and power in the region, allegedly used to terrorise Itsekiri communities, annex land, and suppress dissent under the cover of "security operations." CURRENT SITUATION Illegal Occupation of Communities: Tantita operatives, allegedly acting under Tompolo’s directive, have invaded and occupied over 20 Itsekiri communities, including Aja-Ugbodundun, Uso, Aja-Elebe, Akpata, and Sahara in Ugborodo. The community of Sahara has reportedly been under illegal occupation since 2021, renamed “Saharagbene”, a blatant attempt at erasing #Itsekiri identity and heritage. Militarisation and Intimidation: #Tantita maintains a private cell facility in #Opuraja, Delta State, where individuals are allegedly detained and tortured. This is a gross violation of both Nigerian and international law concerning unlawful detention and private armed militias. Copy @hrw @UNHumanRights @UN_HRC @CommissionerHR

WHY WILL SO CALLED MAJORITY TRIBE IN WARRI SOUTH PLAN TO DEFRAUD THE VOTING SYSTEM TO INCREASE THEIR NUMBERS? The screenshot attached is from the chief wayorist of wado advocates. From the screenshot you can see Wayorist Ejiro clearly saying he will come to a ward in Warri south to register to vote with 20 thousand other urhobo wayorist. Why will they want to cheat the process if they are majority as they claimed? This is exactly what the Itsekiri people have been saying. Urhobos are a minority tribe in Warri and customary tenants alongside their Ijaw conspirators. What they do during elections is to migrate from their core locations ie local governments and or states as the case may be to Warri Federal Constituency during elections to influence votes in their favour. Attached is a confession from their propagandist in chief Ejiro Imuere, in a Facebook reply to a post, vows to mobilize over 20,000 Urhobos from their lands to come and influence votes in Warri Federal Constituency by next election, I know the Ijaws on the other hand must be plotting same. Itsekiris do not object to ward delineation as it is already due to have such in Nigeria, our concerns were the exercise should be done on a national scale and not just Warri Federal Constituency. If this was the case those migrators will remain in their various places to be captured there. #AriseTV, #Rufai, #NSA #inecnigeriaINEC

THE ONE TESTIMONY THAT CORRECT ALL THE LIES ABOUT WARRI OWNERSHIP No. 26. Chief Dore Evidence of Chief Dore Numa. Numa. CHIEF DORE NUMA sworn : I am the head of all the Jekris, Examina- Olu of Jekri came to Warri first. He came to Amatu (ljoh country), then he came to Oguselimo near Foreados and then Ijala (inland) and then to Big Warri-Jekris spread over here and we call it little Warri. Gbolokposo was founded a Jekri. Ojessi's father founded Odiong. Okere is another Jekri town. Ogbe Ijoh are #Ijaws. Olu gave them permission. gave all Sobos permission. Olu gave #Agbasa. What ever Sobos collected in way of fish, yams, and palm nuts they brought to the Olu. I am a successor of #Olu. I have received tribute from Eferum, and all the Sobos here, including Agbasa. They have rendered service by cutting grass. When my father died they came. When all the big chiefs died they came and rendered services. The head of Agbasa paid me tribute. Olu gave Agbasa Bomali to stay-They have no other place. We have allowed them to farm near Fugbe and Odiong. Olu owns all the land here. What I signed in "C" was not what I meant and I instructed Mr. Paul to write to Mr. Bucknor again. Wilkie made no paper with any one, nor did Alder, They were married to Olu's daughters and got the land for nothing. We sent the ljaws away because they were cheeky to my father. Resident never told me that government were going to back me in this action. Pessu town is not portion of #Agbasa. I gave Pessu permission. When the firms came they got permission from the paramount Chief of #Jekris. Millers came first. Agbasa cleared Big Warri as a service to us. There is a say "I am not a native of Agbasa who cut the grass to serve the King." By Zizer: I wrote letters to Government about Agbasa land, Cross-exa-I told the Resident that Government had no right to stop Agbasa from building at Bomali. Bomali belongs to Agbasa. It this treaty to Borikoko is the same as that to Agbasa Thompson agrees to accept as evidence. All Sobos in Warri Distriet render me service,

I commend our leaders for tirelessly defending the Itsekiri people. As we say in Warri, "Itsekiri no get two, na one!" The interests of our people must always come first. I salute our delegates to the NSA meeting: Ayiri Emami, Ejele, Chief Mene Brown, Andrew Igban, Austin Ogboyegboye, and A.S. Mene. Thank you for standing firm for Itsekiri. We will never surrender our rights to anyone, no matter the reason. Think Itsekiri first, Itsekiri is Supreme!

The pattern of behavior is not new. The Gbaramatu axis appears to have perfected the art of blackmail and targeted vilification. A vivid example lies in the unjust campaign against Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, former Executive Vice President (Upstream) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Known for her brilliance and unblemished record, Eyesan was hounded out of office in what many industry insiders suspect was a deliberate plot orchestrated by the same political clique. Her forced exit was not only undeserved but also a painful reminder of how excellence is often sacrificed on the altar of ethnic expediency. Perhaps the most sacrilegious of Otuaro’s infractions is the attempt to desecrate the revered throne of the Olu of Warri. Referring to His Majesty, a monarch whose lineage spans over five centuries, as a “gun runner” is not only defamatory but reveals a deep-seated contempt for traditional institutions. This is especially ironic considering that the so-called Gbaramatu kingdom only received its staff of office in 2017, and the monarch to whom Otuaro pledges allegiance has long been dogged by allegations of oil bunkering and arms trafficking. In all, Otuaro’s tenure thus far has demonstrated how not to steward public trust. The Presidential Amnesty Programme was conceived as a platform for reconciliation, rehabilitation, and reintegration—not for the entrenchment of ethnic vendettas or personal aggrandizement. His actions, if unchecked, risk exacerbating fragile ethnic tensions in the Niger Delta and undermining the credibility of federal institutions. Nigeria deserves better. The Niger Delta deserves better. And public service demands better. Dennis Otuaro, unfortunately, has become a textbook example of how not to hold a federal office. #google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">freshangleng.com/36510/how-not-…

How Not to Be a Public Servant: A Case Study of Dennis Otuaro By Alex Shola Omaretsesione of #Warri Media Group When President Bola Ahmed #Tinubu appointed Dennis Otuaro as Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), many discerning observers were not only surprised but deeply troubled. It was an appointment that lacked the imprimatur of merit and reeked of political appeasement. Even more unsettling was the fact that Otuaro had contributed nothing of substance to the President’s hard-fought electoral victory. Until just a few months prior, he had operated as a mere errand boy within the corridors of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). His sudden elevation to such a strategic federal assignment shocked many and has since proven questionable in both wisdom and consequence. His descent into the arena during the ill-fated Boro Day celebration held in Warri is a testament to how not to wield public office. Warri, a territory that lies firmly outside Ijaw dominion, became on that day the unfortunate theatre for Otuaro’s incendiary rhetoric and divisive posturing. Rather than observing the solemnity that should accompany such a commemorative event, he chose to stoke ethnic tensions and provoke host communities with what can only be described as gibberish. For the record, the Itsekiri people do not consider Isaac Adaka Boro a national hero. To impose such a narrative within Warri is to indulge in historical falsehood and cultural aggression. Even more disturbing is Otuaro’s alleged role in bankrolling a controversial ward delineation exercise in the three Warri local government areas—an exercise fronted by his kinswoman, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, under the aegis of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The move was widely condemned as an underhanded attempt to distort the region’s political demography in favor of Ijaw hegemony, notwithstanding the historical and judicial realities that undergird Warri’s established identity. It is in this context that Dennis and his cohorts launched an insidious campaign of blackmail, going as far as accusing First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu and Senator Daisy #Danjuma of allegedly influencing the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to halt their ill-conceived and potentially destabilizing delineation exercise. The intervention of the #NSA, it must be noted, was necessitated by credible threats to national security, and the aspersions cast on these highly distinguished women are not only unjustified but manifestly dishonorable. The insult to Senator Daisy Danjuma is particularly galling, considering the irony of the situation. Otuaro and his #Gbaramatu brethren are beneficiaries of the magnanimity of her husband’s godson, Col. Agbu Kefas (Rtd), who is widely regarded as an enabler of opportunities for many in their fold. That these same beneficiaries would turn around to cast aspersions on a woman of Senator Danjuma’s pedigree speaks volumes about the depth of their political opportunism and absence of gratitude. As if that were not enough, there are troubling whispers that Otuaro boasted in certain quarters about securing his appointment through a ₦4 billion deal, ostensibly funded through proceeds of illegal oil bunkering. If such claims bear even a grain of truth, then what we are witnessing is not just poor leadership but a national travesty.