In Gbaramatu kingdom, Delta State, a wave of fear and fury has swept through Gbaramatu Kingdom as Akpata Community, an Ijaw settlement under the revered Gbaramatu traditional domain, was violently attacked and completely razed by assailants suspected to be Itsekiri militants, amidst the recent Warri Wards delineation by the independence National Electoral commission (INEC).
In a chilling overnight strike, multiple speedboats packed with heavily armed men stormed Akpata in the early hours of today, Sunday 25th May, 2025. The attackers, eyewitnesses say, “came like shadows in the dark,” unleashing heavy gunfire and setting the oil-rich community ablaze.
The entire settlement was reduced to charred ruins, with homes, livelihoods, and critical oil infrastructure decimated.
“They arrived without warning, shooting everywhere. People ran into the bush, into the river to anywhere they could hide. They burnt everything,” a terrified resident recounted, barely escaping with his life.
The attack has reignited fears of a deadly resurgence in inter-ethnic violence in Warri South-West, evoking bitter memories of the blood-soaked Warri Crisis of the 1990s and early 2000s. The strategic importance of Akpata, a home to multiple oil wellheads, adds a dangerous layer to the crisis, raising concerns about economic sabotage and escalating militia activity.
Meanwhile, for years, tensions between the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups have simmered beneath the surface. This latest act of aggression threatens to unravel the fragile peace that has held in recent times.
“This is a direct attack not just on Akpata, but on the soul of Gbaramatu Kingdom,” said a community elder. “If this is allowed to pass without justice, the consequences could be catastrophic.”
As of this report, no official statement has been released by security agencies. Meanwhile, Ijaw leaders across the Niger Delta are calling for calm, but not without demands for swift and decisive action.
“The government must not sit idle while our communities burn,” one residents warned. “There must be arrests. There must be accountability.”
The Delta State and Federal Governments are under mounting pressure to intervene before the violence spirals into a full-blown regional crisis. Local leaders are urging a full investigation, increased security presence, and immediate protection for vulnerable riverine communities.
Ijaw civil society organizations are calling on the international community, oil companies, and human rights groups to pay close attention to the unfolding situation.
“We cannot allow another round of bloodshed in the Delta,” a spokesperson said. “This is the time for truth, for justice, and for peace.”
As the embers of Akpata still smolder, the nation watches—waiting to see whether Nigeria will protect its citizens, or once again allow impunity to flourish in the shadows of oil wealth.
