The hope for lasting peace in Warri has received a fresh boost as the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) inaugurated 30 Peace Influencers to help prevent violence and strengthen peaceful coexistence among communities in Delta State.
The influencers were inaugurated on Monday during PIND’s Peace Consolidation and Resilience Session under the Warri Peace Community Support Initiative (WPCSI), held in Asaba.
The session brought together representatives of the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities, alongside women, youths and community leaders, in a renewed effort to address tensions and promote understanding across Warri Federal Constituency.
Speaking at the event, PIND Executive Director, Mr Sam Daibo, represented by the organisation’s Analysis and Advocacy Manager, Mr Chuks Ofulue, said the influencers would play a crucial role in identifying early warning signs of conflict and preventing disagreements from escalating into violence.
He explained that their responsibilities would include sharing credible information, encouraging restraint, promoting dialogue and supporting timely responses to emerging threats.
Daibo urged the influencers to verify information before sharing it, counter rumours and avoid inflammatory messages capable of worsening tensions.
He said the initiative evolved from the Warri Peace Stakeholders Platform, established in 2018 to address longstanding inter-ethnic tensions involving the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo communities.
According to him, the WPCSI has continued to build relationships, encourage dialogue and strengthen the capacity of local actors to prevent disputes from degenerating into violence.
He added that the initiative’s Joint Implementation Committee had supported stakeholder engagement, advocacy and peace messaging, while efforts in 2026 included sustained public communication and engagement with government.
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The latest session followed a presidential peace intervention and related commitments. Daibo clarified that its purpose was not to reopen contested political issues, debate ward allocation or assign blame, but to strengthen trust and practical mechanisms for peaceful coexistence.
He said the participants would improve their understanding of conflict early warning and response while developing mediation and conflict-sensitive communication skills.
The 30 influencers will also be linked to PIND’s Early Warning and Early Response system, enabling them to help facilitate timely action when threats to peace emerge. Continued coordination, mentoring and peer learning will support their work within their respective communities.
Daibo stressed that lasting peace would require community ownership, responsible information sharing and concrete action beyond meetings and agreements. He also called on the Delta State Government to deepen its partnership with the peace process and connect community-level initiatives with relevant state structures.
Meanwhile, peace influencers welcomed the initiative. Chief Denbo-Denbofa Oweikpodor, the Alaowei of Warri, said it could unite the three ethnic nationalities, address longstanding grievances and promote development.
Chief Brown Mene, the Ogwa-Olusan of Warri, urged the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo to embrace unity as a foundation for sustainable peace, while Chief Victor Okumagba, the Idjede of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom, said peaceful coexistence could attract greater government presence and accelerate development.
Okumagba described PIND’s intervention as timely, noting that the Warri Federal Constituency delineation issue had persisted for almost three years.
Daibo reaffirmed that Warri residents deserved to live, work and raise their families without fear, emphasising that verified information, dialogue, restraint and shared responsibility remained essential to sustaining peace.
