Warri Ward Delineation Crisis: Protesters Shut 13 Oil Flow Stations, Halt 400,000 Barrels Daily Output
THE ongoing controversy surrounding the ward delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency has taken a new turn as protesters reportedly shut down 13 oil flow stations in Delta State, disrupting an estimated 400,000 barrels of crude oil production per day.
The affected facilities, operated by major oil companies including Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), and Nestoil/Neconde, were reportedly occupied on Monday by groups of women and youths from several Ijaw communities in Warri Federal Constituency.
Industry sources said the shutdown affected key flow stations, including Odidi 1 and 2, Batan, Ogbanabou, Jones Creek, Otunana, Egwa 1 and 2, Abiteye, Makaraba, Olero Creek, Dibi Field and Opuekeba.
The protesters, drawn from communities in Gbaramatu, Ogbe-Ijoh, Isaba, Egbema and Diebiri Kingdoms, were said to have blocked access routes to the facilities and disrupted logistics operations servicing the oil installations.
According to reports, the protesters are demanding the implementation of the ward and polling unit delineation exercise recently concluded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in compliance with a Supreme Court judgment.
The demonstrators expressed concerns that efforts were allegedly being made to delay or frustrate the implementation of the delineation report.
Placards displayed during the protest carried messages such as “Implement Warri Delineation Report,” “Court Ordered Judgment on Wards and Polling Units Delineation,” and “No Implementation, No Production.”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Chief Mrs. Maria Ebike accused INEC of failing to promptly implement the outcome of the delineation process despite consultations with stakeholders.
“We have waited patiently for the authorities to do the right thing. Since our concerns have not been addressed, we are demanding the immediate implementation of the delineation report,” she said.
The protesters insisted that oil production activities would remain suspended until the delineation report is fully implemented.
The development comes barely 24 hours after Ijaw and Urhobo groups in the constituency reportedly threatened to disrupt oil production if the delineation exercise was not implemented.
The ward delineation exercise followed a December 2022 Supreme Court judgment which directed INEC to conduct a fresh delineation of electoral wards and polling units in Warri Federal Constituency.
INEC subsequently carried out the exercise and presented its final report to stakeholders in Asaba on May 20, 2026.
The delineation process has generated intense debate among the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic groups, with differing positions over the outcome and implementation of the report.
As of the time of filing this report, neither INEC nor the affected oil companies had issued an official statement on the reported shutdown of the facilities.
Security agencies have also not publicly commented on the situation.
The latest development raises concerns about its potential impact on Nigeria’s oil production and revenue generation if the disruption persists.
