Delineation Brouhaha: More facilities will be shut down, protesting Ugborodo indigenes vow

Ugborodo indigenes in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have vowed to shut down more oil and gas facilities, if the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC fails to correct the perceived injustice in its recent proposal for delineation of units, wards and constituencies in Warri Federal Constituency.

Fresh Angle International, can report that the aggrieved Itsekiris in Ugborodo, handed down the warning Wednesday June 10, when they besieged Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited Flow Station, Ogidigben, Chevron Tank farm, Ode-Ugborodo and Otumara Flow-Station, in protest against the fresh delineation proposal by INEC.

The protesters, who carried banners and placards with inscriptions such as, “We will use our last blood to defend our land”, “FG must decentralize the pipeline surveillance job, they cannot use the surveillance job to oppress Itsekiris”, “Itsekiris are more than Ijaws in Warri South-West LGA Delta State”, “No to Intimidation” “INEC, You can’t give what you don’t have”, “Our land cannot be procured by dollars”, “No to Blackmail”, “No to fraudulent ward manufacturing”, “follow the law of the land”, ‘Rule of law must uphold”, “No renaming of our land”, “No to injustice”, “12 to 8” and “Itsekiris are more than Ijaws in Warri South West LGA Delta State”, declared that Nigeria would lose 85 percent of its treasury if they completely shut down the critical oil and gas assets.

The Vice Chairman of Ugborodo Community Management Committee, Elder Austin Ajuremisan, while speaking to newsmen, during the protest, noted: “Our demand is simple, to correct the injustice done to us by INEC and the Federal government, let’s put it on record that we are not against anybody, but INEC and FG.

Elder Austin Ajuremisan, speaking

“We the Itsekiris, especially in Ugborodo, contribute a lot to the treasury of this Nation, INEC must correct the injustice, we are here to fault the boundary adjustment, we are here to fault the mapping, we regard them as fraudulent, we will be here, until INEC and Federal Government yield to our demands.

“There is nowhere in the world, where a man that has six wards, will now have less than 6 wards, while a man with less than 4 wards, will have more.

“Government must call INEC to order. Warri South-West, Warri North and Warri South, are the homelands of Itsekiris, we are not against ward delineation, but this is our homeland, a man that has his home, should enjoy more in his place.”

The National Vice Chairman of Ugborodo Youth body, Victor Laju Udonju, on his part, said: “This is our home and our facilities, these facilities are feeding the federal and state governments, we are producing more than 65 percent of Nigeria’s crude oil.

Victor Laju Udonju

“We had sheathed our sword, but there was an imbalance. Our neighbours override what was done and said in the meeting convened by the state governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori. They went to protest, so we cannot fold our arms.

“We have shutdown Otumara and more facilities will be shut down. Nigeria will lose 85 percent of its treasury if we shut down the facilities. We have shut down over ten facilities.”

While Godfrey Fregene and Roland Ebido, alleged that Gbaramatu Ijaws were using Tantita Security to sponsor the controversial ward delineation and subsequently canvassed for decentralization of pipeline surveillance contract, Madam Queen Malemi, Joy and Gloria Goli, enjoined government to increase Itsekiri wards in Warri South-West Local Government Area.

A cross section of Ugborodo indigenes, protesting at Chevron Tank Farm

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