PHOTO shows leaders of the Ijala communities of the old Obodo/Omadino Ward in Warri South LGA of Delta State addressing journalists on Sunday
Ijala communities of the old Obodo/Omadino Ward in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have threatened to shut down critical oil fields and depots in the locality over alleged non-allocation of separate electoral wards to the communities in the ongoing Independent National Electoral Commission ward delineation exercise.
Scores of residents of the communities, comprising elderly men, women and youths from Ifiekporo, Ajaetan, Ikeren and Utunwa, besieged the Ifiekporo community hall on Sunday, where they staged a peaceful protest to express their grievances over the INEC exercise.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the aggrieved communities, Pa Michael Domino said the peaceful protest became necessary after all civil and constitutional means employed to press home their demand for the division of Obodo/Omadino electoral ward into four independent wards were ignored.
He said, “Since the creation of this LGA in 1991, the government and the leaders of Warri South have refused to acknowledge our numerical growth and economic viability, which are what bequeath oil-producing status on this LGA. This Ijala Axis of Warri Islands has four communities and is host to oil companies (including Warri Refinery) and has arable lands, which are the mainstay of Warri South today.
