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State of Emergency: Soldiers Take Over Rivers State Government House

Published

8 hours ago

March 19, 2025

State of Emergency: Soldiers Take Over Rivers State Government House

Soldiers have taken over the Rivers State Government House over the State of Emergency declaration.

Newsone Nigeria had reported earlier that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, south-south Nigeria.

President Tinubu announced in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday evening, March 18, 2025, over the political crisis and instability in the state.

The president said Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the State; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and all members of the Rivers assembly are “hereby suspended for an initial period of six months”.

“Having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do,” the president said.

A few minutes after the President declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, he nominated retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, a former chief of naval staff, as the state’s administrator.

Hours after the announcement, armed military men took over the Rivers Government House in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. The military officers fully loaded in trucks, took over the entrance of the Government House.

Meanwhile, Newsone reports that President Tinubu’s broadcast, during which he declared a state of emergency in Rivers, came hours after a meeting with his service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.

Philips Sunday

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