Hundreds of youths took to the streets of Warri, Delta State on Thursday, blocking major roads and disrupting commercial activities in a protest against what they described as "decades of systemic neglect" by both the state and federal governments.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as "We Want Jobs, Not Promises", "Fix Effurun Road Before It Kills Us", and "Our Oil, Our Poverty — Where Is the Justice?", the protesters marched from Warri Market to the Delta State Government House, where a delegation was received by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Affairs.
Protest coordinator Victor Obaro said: "We are tired of being told to be patient. Young people in Warri have no jobs, our roads are death traps, our hospitals have no drugs, and our schools have no teachers. Yet this state generates billions from oil every month."
The protest turned briefly tense when security personnel attempted to disperse the crowd, but organisers maintained order and the demonstration remained largely peaceful.
The Delta State Government issued a statement promising to engage the youth representatives in a town hall within two weeks, and reiterating its commitment to infrastructure development across the state's senatorial districts.
The protest reflects growing frustration among Niger Delta youth who say they have been excluded from the economic benefits of oil wealth, with unemployment rates in the region estimated at over 40% for those between the ages of 18 and 35.
