The Mayor of Urhoboland and Head of the Association of Urhobo Mayoral Family Crown (AUMFC), Eshanekpe Israel, popularly known as Akpodoro, has appealed to Delta State Governor, Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, to exercise restraint in addressing the recent crisis in Warri.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, August 25, 2025, Akpodoro cautioned against the governor’s directive to security operatives to apply a “shoot-at-sight” order in response to the violent clashes between Urhobo and Itsekiri youths.
He argued that such a directive could lead to unnecessary loss of innocent lives, particularly in densely populated areas. Instead, he urged that efforts be focused on “enforcing peace” through dialogue and engagement with community stakeholders.
“The lives of our youths matter. No innocent citizen should be caught in the crossfire of an avoidable shoot-at-sight order,” Akpodoro stressed, recalling how similar conflicts in the past left Warri in ruins and families devastated.
As an ex-militant leader, Akpodoro emphasized that the government’s priority should be sustainable peacebuilding rather than military crackdowns.
LHe reminded the governor that many of the same youths now at the center of the unrest had voted massively for his election, describing a shoot-at-sight directive as “an overkill.”
Akpodoro further expressed concern over the plight of Urhobo elders currently in military custody following the Okuama crisis, in which several soldiers were killed. He insisted that many of the detained community leaders are innocent and should either be released or charged to court, rather than being held indefinitely without trial.
“It is unconstitutional and undemocratic to detain our elders for two years without due process. Among them is a Professor of Physics and senior lecturer at Delta State University, Abraka. Their continued detention infringes on their fundamental rights and the governor must do more to secure their freedom,” he said.
The Mayor also made a direct appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to intervene in securing the release of the Okuama elders. He described their indefinite detention as “inhuman” and called for justice to prevail.
“The world is watching. Governor Oborevwori and all stakeholders in Urhobo nation must rise to ensure justice. Innocent leaders cannot be made to suffer for crimes they know nothing about. If the military insists on their complicity, let them be charged properly in court, but indefinite detention cannot be the answer,” Akpodoro declared.
