The Gbaramatu Youth Council, GYC, the umbrella body of youths in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, has raised an alarm over alleged land encroachment by its neighbour, the itsekiri, in the ongoing Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, electoral ward delineation exercise in the council area, while also warning of dire consequence if the issue is not promptly addressed by the relevant government authorities.

The GYC, also known as the Gbaramatu Youth Development Association, lodged the complaint in a press statement it released and that was signed by its president and secretary, Kingsley Arerebo Egbejule and Raphael Tareke Erike, respectively, on Thursday, July 11, 2024.

The youth body alleged that a team of Itsekiri people in company of INEC officials tricked the inhabitants of the Gbaramatu communities of Sagharabubou, Ikantu and Ijaghala, during the ongoing ward delineation exercise, and deceitfully collected the communities' coordinates.

Part of the statement reads: "We write to inform the general public particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission— INEC, that It has come to our attention that there has been an encroachment by the Itsekiri on Gbaramatu lands specifically in the areas of Sagharabubou, Ikantu and Ijaghala, during the ongoing ward delineation exercise.

"A Team of Itsekiri went to the above-mentioned communities in the Gbaramatu Kingdom and deceived the inhabitants that they wanted to construct an access road and deceitfully collected coordinates with members of INEC. This encroachment is a serious matter that poses a significant threat to peace and security in the region," the GYC warned.

The Egbejule-led youth president therefore called on security agencies to take action to prevent violence and break down of law and order in the council area as they will resist any attempt by the Itsekiri to grab any of their territories.

"We strongly urge all security apparatus to take immediate and proactive measures to address this issue and prevent any potential outbreak of violence. The integrity and stability of our communities are at risk, and it is crucial that swift action is taken to rectify this situation by relevant authorities.

"We are not in 1991 where INEC erroneously gave the Ijaws with 63% population four wards as against six wards given to the Itsekiris with only 37% population. We wish to state in strong terms that the communities of Ijaghala, Sagharabubou, Ikantu are all communities under Gbaramatu Kingdom. And any attempt to grab these lands politically by the Itsekiris will meet stiff and tough resistant.

"The peace-loving nature of the good people of Gbaramatu Kingdom should not be mistaken for cowardice and the Itsekiris should concentrate on how they can manage their ill-numbered communities rather than looking for communities outside theirs to grab," it further warned.

Going forward the GYC charged INEC to immediately correct the abnormality in the affected communities henceforth without delay when it said, "We reiterate that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) verification team to come on the ground without delay to assess and correct this abnormality. It is imperative that the delineation process is conducted fairly and transparently, respecting the rightful boundaries of Gbaramatu lands.

"A prompt attempt towards resolving this will assist to forestall avoidable confrontation that could result to breakdown of law and order," the youth body stressed.

It would be recalled that in response to the Supreme Court order on December, 2, 2022, in Appeal No.: S/413/2016: Hon. George Timinimi & 9 Ors v INEC that had ordered INEC to carry out fresh delineation of electoral wards and units in Warri Federal Constituency comprising the LGAs of Warri North, Warri South and Warri South-West before the conduct of future elections, the electoral body had mobilised to the area for the exercise few days to the July 13 LG elections.

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