Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich Rivers state on Tuesday March 18, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials over a political crisis and recent pipeline vandalism.
This unprecedented move follows months of conflict between the governor and state lawmakers, many of whom are backed by his predecessor. The lawmakers had initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara, accusing him of illegal actions related to the state budget and the legislature’s composition.
In a state broadcast, President Tinubu criticized the governor for failing to address ongoing incidents of pipeline vandalism, including a recent explosion on the Trans Niger Pipeline. He announced that retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas would take over as the military administrator of the state, and military trucks were promptly deployed to the state government house. The suspension of the governor and lawmakers will last for six months, with the judiciary to continue functioning as normal.
The Nigerian Bar Association has criticized the emergency measures, arguing that such suspensions are illegal, as emergency rule does not automatically dissolve or suspend elected state governments. This is the first emergency rule declared in Nigeria in more than a decade, with the last instance occurring in 2013 under President Goodluck Jonathan during the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency.