Nigeria: New Administrator Takes Charge Of River State Amid State Of Emergency

Mr Tinubu, on Tuesday, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, Ngozi Odu and all elected lawmakers in the state.

Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral and former chief of naval staff, has taken over as sole administrator of Rivers State.

Mr Ibas arrived at Port Harcourt, the state capital, at about 11:25 a.m. on Thursday, an official confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES.

His arrival occurred almost the same time Nigeria’s House of Representatives approved the declaration of a state of emergency in the south-southern state.

The Senate would later follow suit, approving the emergency rule with minor changes.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the South-southern state on Tuesday.

Mr Tinubu also suspended Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all the House of Assembly members for an initial six months.

The president consequently appointed Mr Ibas as the sole administrator of the state.

He cited “the disturbing incidents” in the state in the last 24 hours, including explosions and vandalisation of petroleum pipelines linked to the political crises in the state, as the basis for the emergency rule.

Arrival, take over

Mr Ibas was accompanied by the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olugbenga Adepoju and the assistant inspector general of police, Zone 16.

The sole administrator was immediately conducted around the Rivers State Government House by officials of the suspended state government.

He subsequently held a closed-door meeting with senior security officers, a federal government delegation, and some state officials.

Details of the closed-door meeting were unknown as of press time.