Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and members of his family were reportedly held hostage Tuesday night at the Government House in Port Harcourt by heavily armed soldiers, Peoples Gazette reports.
The incident occurred shortly after President Bola Tinubu invoked Section 180 of the Nigerian Constitution to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, a decision that has sparked widespread criticism, particularly from Ijaw leaders and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
The move followed weeks of political tension, climaxing in an impeachment attempt against Governor Fubara by lawmakers loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
According to Peoples Gazette, sources within the Rivers State government said soldiers, enforcing the emergency declaration, barricaded all entry and exit points at the Government House immediately after President Tinubu’s broadcast.
Efforts by Fubara and his family to leave the premises were blocked by the soldiers, with one official reportedly stating, “We are being held hostage. They said they don’t have instruction to let anyone leave the premises.”
It remains unclear whether the soldiers acted within their brief or overstepped their mandate. The Nigerian Army and Defence Headquarters have yet to respond to inquiries about the military’s conduct during the operation.
The president’s decision to suspend the state government for six months and appoint retired Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as Military Administrator has stirred controversy.
Legal experts, including Inibehe Effiong and Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana, argue that Tinubu’s actions violate the Nigerian Constitution, noting that Fubara had not been impeached at the time of the declaration.
Former Akwa Ibom Attorney General Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN, criticized the emergency declaration, saying, “The situation in Rivers State has not met any of the conditions prescribed by the Constitution for a state of emergency. This action appears to be part of a script to seize control of Rivers State.”
Other critics include former Ijaw Youth Council President Eric Omare, who condemned Tinubu’s “one-sided” intervention and accused him of enabling Wike’s escalation of the crisis. Omare asserted, “An unbiased president should have called Wike to order or sacked him to demonstrate impartiality.”
PANDEF, through its National Spokesman Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini, expressed alarm over the emergency declaration and stated that the body is closely monitoring the situation and will issue a formal response soon.
Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Spokesman, Amb. Binebai Princewill, denounced the move as a “case of oppression and intimidation of Ijaw people,” adding, “There are states plagued by insurgency, yet no state of emergency has been declared there. But because this is an Ijaw issue, this extreme action was taken.”
Meanwhile, APC chieftain Hon. Charles Idahosa suggested the state of emergency could serve as a platform for reconciliation among the feuding parties.
“This is an opportunity for Fubara, the legislators, and Wike to resolve their differences. The president has intervened, now they must come together and find a solution,” he said.
This unfolding crisis in Rivers State continues to draw national attention, with many awaiting further developments and legal challenges to the state of emergency.
Credit: Peoples Gazette except headline
