Communities in the Ijala axis of Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State have threatened to shut down the Warri Refinery and other oil facilities if they are not allocated a separate electoral ward in the ongoing ward delineation exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The threat was made during a peaceful protest held on Sunday at the Ifiekporo community hall, where residents of Ifiekporo, Ajaetan, Ikeren and Utunwa communities expressed dissatisfaction with INEC’s proposed ward structure.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, community leader Michael Domino said the communities had repeatedly sought the creation of an independent Ijala ward but had been overlooked despite their growing population and economic importance.

According to him, the area hosts major oil and gas infrastructure, including the Warri Refinery, oil fields operated by Conoil and Seplat, as well as several petroleum depots. He argued that the communities have the numerical strength and economic significance to qualify for a separate ward.

The protesters questioned why other parts of the Warri Federal Constituency received additional wards while their request remained unresolved. They also accused INEC of failing to adequately reflect the growth of the Ijala communities in its proposals.

While commending President Bola Tinubu for intervening to prevent tensions over the ward delineation process in the constituency, the protesters said their concerns in Warri South had yet to be addressed.

They warned that if INEC’s final report does not include the proposed Ijala ward, they may take action that could disrupt operations at key oil fields, depots and other petroleum facilities located in the area.

Other community leaders who addressed the gathering echoed the demand, insisting that the creation of the Ijala ward was necessary to ensure fair political representation for the affected communities.