By Chief Ayirimi Emami, the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, has called on President Bola Tinubu to order the arrest of former Delta State Deputy Governor, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, accusing him of fueling the ongoing political crisis between the Itsekiri and Ijaw ethnic groups. He made this demand during a ceremony organized by the Ologbotsere Descendants Worldwide in Warri.
Chief Ayiri alleged that Otuaro, during his time in office, manipulated a boundary adjustment process that excluded Itsekiri communities from key coastal areas. He warned that the Itsekiri nation would not be silenced or sidelined, saying, “Nobody should threaten the Itsekiri nation.”
The traditional leader described the adjustments as a “fraudulent exercise” intended to strip the Itsekiri of rightful offshore benefits. He presented documents at the event to support his accusations, stressing that the moves under Otuaro’s supervision laid the groundwork for today’s ethnic tension.
“I urge the NSA to arrest all those involved in this scheme, particularly Otuaro, who played a principal role in this deceit,” Ayiri said. He claimed that the documents linked to the controversial ward delineation had been submitted to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Ayiri urged his people to remain firm as their concerns over the INEC delineation are being reviewed by authorities. “My title as Ologbotsere is a commitment to serve the Itsekiri people… I will not sit here and allow some elements to turn the truth upside down,” he stated.
In closing, he sent a warning to perceived threats: “We are like a needle that cannot be swallowed.” His message was clear—any injustice to the Itsekiri people would not go unanswered.
