Hope Okpoggen, Secretary General of the Odion-Urhobo Community in Warri, has issued a stern warning following the violent attack that left parts of the community in ruins. The tension, which has been simmering in the region, escalated after a series of provocations and a violent invasion that has left residents devastated and on edge.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with
NewsCentral TV , Okpoggen revealed that the immediate trigger for the conflict was the removal of coronation banners belonging to the Odion-Urhobo community. These banners had been erected in preparation for the coronation of their traditional ruler.
However, individuals identified as members of the Itsekiri ethnic group allegedly took them down in broad daylight. Okpoggen emphasized that the Odion-Urhobo community had never engaged in such acts of provocation against their Itsekiri neighbors, making this act particularly painful and inflammatory.
The situation took a darker turn when, days later, an armed group believed to be composed of Itsekiri youth stormed the Odion-Urhobo area. The attackers destroyed properties, burned down buildings, and opened fire on innocent residents.
Several motorized tricycles, locally known as “Keke,” were riddled with bullets, and a provision shop that doubled as a home was completely razed. Families, including women and children, were forced to flee for their lives with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
In response to the destruction, Okpoggen declared that the community is giving the government a one-week ultimatum.
Within this period, the state authorities are expected to take full responsibility for compelling the perpetrators to rebuild everything that was destroyed during the attack. Failure to meet this demand, he warned, would leave the community with no option but to take matters into their own hands and retaliate.
In his words: “Our king coronation banner that we put at Odion Urhobo Community was removed by Abraham and other Itsekiri people in broad daylight, of which we have never done that to any Itsekiri before. We have never seen their banner at a place and removed it before. So we are giving the government one week to make them repair everything they have destroyed or else we will retaliate.”