Don’t allow ethnic cleansing, wrapped under the guise of re – delineation, Forum tells FG

Pro-Itsekiri group, Warri Indigenous Women Forum, WIWF, has appealed to the Federal Government not to allow what they described as attempted ethnic cleansing, wrapped under the guise of re – delineation, to happen in Warri Federal Constituency.

The group, stated that Itsekiri Nation would become the only ethnic nationality in Nigeria, without a local government of their own, if the purported criminality carried out by her ethnic neighbours, in connivance with some INEC Officials, is given any legitimacy.

Fresh Angle International, can report that they made the demand Wednesday January 21 at INEC National Secretariat in Abuja, during a peaceful protest.

Chairman of Warri Indigenous Women Forum, Tenumah Alero, who read the protest letter, she co-signed with Secretary of the Forum, Dr. Ada Edema, said their findings revealed that the so-called re-delineation exercise and its subsequent report, were tainted with fraud and deliberately designed to exclude and politically annihilate the Itsekiri people.

Tenumah Alero

Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, reportedly received the protest letter on behalf of INEC, from Alero Tenumah.

Below is excerpts of the protest letter which was addressed to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC:

“A CALL FOR HELP ON THE GENOCIDE ON THE PEOPLE OF WARRI KINGDOM (ITSEKIRIS) CORE DEMANDS FOR URGENT INTERVENTION

“The Warri Indigenous Women Forum, formally protest the re-delineation exercise allegedly carried out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the immediate past Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, as it gravely violates our fundamental and political rights as members of the Itsekiri Nation, whose ancestral homeland lies within the Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

“It is an historical fact that the lands all around Warri Federal Constituency, belong to Itsekiri Nation, a fact known to the world long before the Amalgamation and Treaty. Since1999, there has been deliberate and coordinated efforts by our neighbours to exterminate the Itsekiri people of Warri Kingdom, through a well-planned criminal campaign of violence, displacement, and systematic marginalization.

“Our findings revealed that the so called re-delineation exercise and its subsequent report, were tainted with fraud and deliberately designed to exclude and politically annihilate the Itsekiri people. The process was conducted in flagrant violation of the rule of law, despite the pendency of Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CV/443/2025 and the ongoing appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/1457/2025 at the Court of Appeal, Abuja. Any further action by INEC on this matter, amounts to contempt of court and a direct threat to peace and order.

“We strongly condemn the reported fixing of coordinate points in Edo, Ondo, and several Delta State local government areas (outside Warri Federal Constituency) to create artificial polling units for non-indigenes and non- residents within Warri Federal Constituency. This is fraudulent, unlawful, and capable of distorting state boundaries and provoking serious conflict.

“We also rely on the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Asaba Division, delivered December2025 in Appeal No. CA/AS/154/2024, which armed Itsekiri ownership of Ogbe-Ijoh community. INEC cannot lawfully create or name a ward in that community contrary to this binding judgment.

“We emphasize that our people have been left without homes, education, or land. Our families have been killed, our schools and houses destroyed, our livelihoods taken away, and we now face an assault on our remaining natural resources. Itsekiri Nation would become the only ethnic nationality in Nigeria without a local government of their own, if the criminality carried out by our ethnic neighbours, in connivance with some INEC Officials, is given any legitimacy. The Federal Government, should not allow the attempted ethnic cleansing, wrapped under the guise of re - delineation.

“In view of the above, we urgently call on the Federal Government of Nigeria, the United Nations, and the international community to intervene and prevent an impending humanitarian catastrophe.

“We demand that INEC suspend the so called re-delineation exercise, obey all court processes, investigate and prosecute the fraud committed against the Itsekiri people, and put an immediate end to this injustice, by carrying out a fresh, independent and transparent ward and unit delineation in the presence of civil society groups( such as; Elections observal group, YAIGA AFRICA ) in the interest of peace, justice, and national unity.

“OUR DEMANDS

“1. This exercise should be completely jettisoned, Arrangement to restore the confidence of indigenous people on the independence status of INEC, a new team be immediately made up of the PRESIDENCY, UNITED NATION, & INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES as independent observers is set up to commence a fresh, transparent and credible delineation exercise

“2. INEC should not play the proverbial outreach by pretending that they’re not aware that this exercise is mere fraud and their avalanche in disregarding the office. All those involved in this fraud should be sanctioned accordingly

“3. INEC is the creation of the LAW and accordingly must honour all judicial protocols

“4. No Ijaws or other interested parties who isn’t indigenous to Warri should be involved in any segment of this fresh delineation exercise.”

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