NEWS
Fresh Crisis Looms in Warri as Ijaw Group Takes Protest to INEC Headquarters
Fresh political tension erupted on Monday as members of the Operation Rescue Ijaw Nation Crusaders staged a protest at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja over the delayed implementation of the Warri Federal Constituency delineation report.
The protesters, made up of Ijaw indigenes from the constituency, accused INEC of ignoring a Supreme Court judgment that ordered a fresh ward delineation exercise in Warri Federal Constituency.
Displaying placards and chanting protest songs, the demonstrators warned that the continued delay in implementing the report could affect the conduct of future elections in the area, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Addressing journalists during the protest on Monday, the Deputy Coordinator of the group, Freeborn Abraye, said the group had previously visited the commission over the same matter but had not received any concrete response.
Abraye explained that the Supreme Court directed INEC to carry out a fresh delineation exercise after allegations of political imbalance among the Ijaw, Urhobo, and Itsekiri ethnic groups in Warri Federal Constituency.
He alleged that the Ijaw and Urhobo communities had suffered years of political marginalisation in the constituency and insisted that the implementation of the report was necessary to ensure fairness and equal representation.
“The Supreme Court gave a clear directive, and INEC carried out the exercise. What we are demanding now is the full implementation of the report produced after that exercise,” he said.
He further claimed that the delay had heightened tension within the constituency and warned that the situation could worsen if the commission failed to act swiftly.
“If INEC refuses to implement the delineation report, there may be no election in Warri Federal Constituency,” Abraye warned.
Another leader of the protest, Ellington Bakumor, accused the electoral commission of disenfranchising residents of the constituency by refusing to operationalise the report despite involving representatives of all affected ethnic groups during the exercise.
Bakumor also alleged that political interests were influencing the delay and cautioned that peaceful elections could not be guaranteed if the matter remained unresolved.
In a petition submitted to INEC and signed by the group’s coordinator, Awipi Lawson, the protesters referenced the Supreme Court judgment delivered on December 2, 2022, which ordered a constitutionally compliant ward and polling unit delineation across Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South-West Local Government Areas.
According to the petition, the apex court ruled that no electoral process should take place in the constituency until the delineation exercise was completed and implemented.
The group noted that although INEC conducted the exercise and released a field report on April 4, 2025, the commission had yet to make the final report operational.
The protesters therefore called on INEC to immediately release and implement the report, conclude the gazetting process, and suspend every electoral activity in the constituency until full implementation was achieved.
Responding on behalf of the INEC Chairman, an Assistant Director of Security at the commission, Mohammed Ahmad, assured the protesters that their petition would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities.
He added that the commission would carefully review the concerns raised and communicate its response in due course.
The much awaited Africa’s largest Initial Public Offering by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has been formally flagged off on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).
President and Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, marked the commencement of the offer by ringing the opening bell at the NGX trading floor in Lagos on Monday.
The transaction marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s capital market, as the DPRP becomes the first refinery in the Nigerian Exchange’s 66-year history to open its shares to public subscription.
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The offer comprises 4.1 billion new ordinary shares priced at N525 per share, allowing investors to acquire an equity stake in Africa’s largest refinery.
Retail and institutional investors, as well as eligible investors across Africa, can participate in the public offer.
Investors can subscribe for a minimum of 10 shares, requiring an investment of N5,250 at the offer price.
The offer opened on Monday, September 14, 2026, and is scheduled to close on October 13, 2026, subject to the terms and conditions contained in the offer prospectus.
At the ceremony, Dangote highlighted that the public offer was part of a broader effort to expand public participation in owning his companies.
“We will lease every company that we operate,” he said.
The launch attracted prominent dignitaries, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, members of the Dangote family and captains of industry.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned prospective investors against fraudsters, fake platforms and unauthorised individuals seeking to take advantage of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Initial Public Offering (IPO).
The Commission issued the warning in a public notice dated Monday, September 14, 2026, following its approval for the IPO by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE to open to the public.
The SEC urged investors to exercise caution and ensure that all applications and payments relating to the IPO are made only through the officially designated and approved receiving agents, subscription channels and platforms.
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The Commission advised prospective investors to obtain information about the IPO only from the SEC’s official channels, the issuer’s official channels and other official channels established and approved for the offer.
It also urged investors to verify the authenticity of any website, platform or link before providing personal or financial information.
According to the SEC, investors should follow only the officially announced subscription or application process and IPO timetable and should “Avoid transferring funds to any person or entity claiming to receive applications/subscriptions outside the approved channels.”
The Commission further advised investors to verify that their chosen registered Capital Market Operator’s channels or platforms for the offer are duly authorised and approved.
The SEC also warned investors to “Avoid responding to unsolicited calls, WhatsApp messages, social media advertisements, emails or other channels/platforms that offer or guarantee allotments or preferential allocation.”
The regulator urged prospective subscribers to carefully read the approved Prospectus and understand the terms, conditions and risks associated with the investment before making any subscription.
SEC warns against fake IPO agents
The Commission stressed that the existence of an individual, company, digital platform or social media account does not, by itself, constitute approval or authorisation to receive applications or funds from investors in respect of the offer.
The SEC therefore advised prospective investors to contact SEC-registered stockbrokers, banks or registered Investment advisers for guidance before subscribing.
The Commission also urged the public to “VERIFY” the registration status of companies, entities, platforms or individuals offering investment opportunities before entering into any transaction with them.
Investors can verify the registration status of operators through the SEC’s dedicated portal for registered fintech operators or through the Commission’s Capital Market Operators platform.
The warning comes as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals IPO officially opens on Monday, September 14, 2026, following the Commission’s approval.
The Commission listed its contact details as +2342094621168-9 and [email protected], while its WhatsApp contact is 0916 772 3240.
The SEC urged investors to remain vigilant and rely only on verified and authorised channels throughout the IPO process.
Investor demand for the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals initial public offering (IPO) has reached a historic level, with subscription activity surging across digital investment channels.
Data released by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on its official X handle on Monday showed that total transaction volume had surpassed 402,634, pushing the total subscription value to ₦1,476,171,994,112, approximately ₦1.476 trillion.
The figures, displayed on the #NGXInvest command centre dashboard, highlight the strong appetite among investors for the landmark offering.
More details shortly.
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