On March 19, 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara after a pipeline explosion, potentially linked to militant sabotage. Tinubu criticized the governor's inaction against increasing vandalism, stating that such negligence warranted emergency measures. This marked the first emergency rule in Nigeria since 2013. Amid ongoing power struggles in the state, Tinubu appointed former navy chief Ibokette Ibas as caretaker to restore order. The instability in governance, marked by tensions and potential impeachment efforts, has hampered democratic functions in the region.
The president said he received reports of "disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them."
"No good and responsible president will stand by and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the constitution to address the situation in the state," Tinubu said in a televised broadcast.
"With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance... can thrive... The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started," Tinubu said.
The suspension marks the first declaration of emergency rule since 2013.
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