President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following a prolonged political crisis in the region.

In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the House of Assembly for six months. The president appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the administrator to oversee the state’s affairs for the initial six-month period.

Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which defines a state of emergency as a situation of national danger, disaster, or security threats requiring the suspension of normal constitutional processes to restore order. Under such a declaration, the president is empowered to implement immediate measures to secure public safety and maintain law and order.

Historically, similar actions have been taken. On 14 May 2013, then-President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in the insurgency-hit northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa. A more limited emergency was also declared on 31 December 2011 in parts of Yobe, Borno, Plateau, and Niger states, including the temporary closure of international borders in affected areas.

For the past two months, Rivers State has witnessed intense political strife between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and his former political protégé, Governor Fubara, as they battle for control over the state’s political structure. The tensions have escalated, with reports of pipeline explosions and threats of mass protests by civil servants against the faction of the House of Assembly loyal to Wike.

In his speech, Tinubu stated: “Recent security reports indicate that in the last 24 hours, there have been alarming incidents of pipeline vandalism perpetrated by militants, with no intervention from the governor. I have, therefore, issued strict directives to security agencies to safeguard the lives and property of the people of Rivers State, as well as protect critical infrastructure.”

He added, “No responsible president can stand by and allow such a grave situation to persist without taking the necessary constitutional measures to restore peace, governance, and security. After careful consideration, and in the absence of a formal request from the governor and deputy governor as required under Section 305(5) of the Constitution, I find it imperative to invoke Section 305 to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, effective 18 March 2025.”

Under the emergency measures:

• Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are suspended for six months.
• Retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas has been appointed as the state administrator.
• The judiciary remains unaffected and will continue to operate under its constitutional mandate.
• The administrator is not authorised to enact new laws but may formulate necessary regulations, subject to approval by the Federal Executive Council and promulgation by the president.

The proclamation has been published in the Federal Gazette and forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with constitutional requirements.

Tinubu expressed hope that the intervention would restore stability and serve as a reminder to all political actors in Rivers State, and Nigeria at large, of their constitutional responsibilities.