By Deborah Coker
Abuja, June 20, 2025 AIG Garba Salma-Dogo, in charge of Zone Five, has met with stakeholders from Warri and environs, as part of efforts to address the crisis over the INEC ward delineation exercise in the area.
The Zonal Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO) for the zone comprising Edo and Delta, SP Tijani Momoh, said this in a statement on Friday.
Salma-Dogo explained that the meeting was conveyed at the instance of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
He also said that the meeting was conveyed as parts of effort to enhance peace, safety and security in Warri and environs in particular and Delta at large.
He stressed the need for stakeholders to control their youths, and refrain them from making inciting and inflammatory statements, especially on the social media.
He also warned against name-calling and social media protest, saying it will not be tolerated henceforth.
According to him, anyone caught will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.
He also warned that no ethnic group should refer to another ethnic group as “customary tenants”, adding that any further breakdown of law and order would not be tolerated.
The AIG noted that there was no difference between the Ijaws, Itsekiris and Urhobos and warned all to avoid any issues that would cause a repeat of the 2003/2004 crisis.
Earlier the Commissioner of Police Delta State, Olufemi Abaniwonda, explained that the delineation exercise carried out by INEC in Warri, had brought about problems among the three ethnic groups in the area.
Abaniwonda said he was therefore seeking the intervention of the AIG to help forestall further escalation and break down of law and order.
Other speakers include representatives of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Isaba Kingdom, Agbarha Warri Kingdom, Gbaramatu kingdom, and the three local government chairmen.
All speakers sued for peace, saying that they do not want a crisis in the area.
They also noted that the delineation exercise had not been finalised, and that INEC had asked all aggrieved parties to study the draft and bring up their complaints, observations and contributions.
They unanimously agreed to work for the peace and security of Warri kingdom, and pledged to call their youths to order.
Present at the meeting also were the Area Commander Warri, the Local Government Chairmen of Warri South West, Warri North and Warri South, as well as the spokesperson and representative of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Others were the representative from the Palace of the Olu of Warri, the Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh among other highly placed figures.
(NAN)