By Zara Maisango
OGIDIGBEN, WARRI — Operations at a vital 28,000-barrel-per-day oil facility in Ogidigben, Warri, Delta State, ground to a halt on Wednesday as hundreds of Itsekiri community members stormed the site in a bold protest. The dramatic shutdown, captured in a video aired by TVC News, saw residents massing at the facility’s gates, bringing production to a standstill in a region critical to Nigeria’s oil economy.
The facility, recently acquired by Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), became the focal point of local discontent over the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) proposed ward delineation for the Warri Federal Constituency. The Itsekiri natives, rejecting the plan outright, voiced their frustration through chants and placards, demanding a reversal of what they see as an unfavorable electoral boundary shift.
Eyewitnesses described a tense but organized demonstration, with protesters vowing to escalate their actions if their grievances remain unaddressed. “This is just the beginning,” one community leader warned, hinting at plans to target other key installations across Itsekiri land. The video evidence, widely circulated on Wednesday, underscored the scale of the unrest, showing a sea of determined faces blocking access to the facility.
The protest marks yet another flashpoint in the Niger Delta, where oil wealth often collides with local demands for equity and representation. Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings has yet to issue an official statement, but industry insiders suggest the shutdown could ripple through Nigeria’s oil output if prolonged.
As of press time, authorities had not intervened, and INEC remained silent on the mounting backlash. With tensions simmering, analysts predict further updates as the situation unfolds. For now, the Ogidigben facility stands idle—a stark symbol of a community’s resolve to be heard.
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