*As rival women groups protest in Port Harcourt
Notable female Niger Delta human rights activist, Ms. Ann-Kio Briggs, has stated that the actions of the Rivers State Administrator, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas in the State are contrary to what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said he sent him to do.
Ibas, Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff from July 2015 to January 2021, was appointed by President Tinubu as the Administrator of the oil-rich State in March 18, 2025 after the President had declared state of emergency and suspended Gov. Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu and disbanded the State House of Assembly.
Tinubu had said that his decision was to restore peace in the state following the political tension between Fubara and his erstwhile political godfather and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike.
However, Ann-Kio Briggs, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, alleged that Ibas has since his appointment , been pouring petrol to the fire the President sent him to quench.
“First of all, I can assure you that he is pouring petrol on a fire Mr President believes that was on,” Ann-Kio Briggs said during the programme.
“So, he was told to come and pour water on that fire, to quench it. Well, he has done nothing of the sort, I have told you that he has removed people who were constitutionally and democratically in governance.
“There were no issues, and he came along and removed everybody.
“Even in the Government House, it is alleged that he has removed the pictures of Siminalayi Fubara.
“I repeat Siminalayi Fubara remains the Governor of Rivers State.”
She accused Admiral Ibas of currently overseeing violence in Rivers State, saying that the retired military chief is not welcome in the State.
The rights activist said that although the President stated the state of emergency would last for six months, it doesn’t mean he can’t change his mind and return everything to the status quo before the stipulated time.
Earlier on Monday, two groups of women held rallies in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
While one group was in support of Ibas and the emergency rule, the other group who were half-clothed demanded the return of Fubara.
The second group alleged that while the police provided protection to the pro-emergency rule group, same police attacked them and sent thugs after them.
Since the emergency Rule pronouncement, there has been tension in the state, with Ibas dismantling all the political structures, including sacking the interim Local Government Administrators, and appointing people who are presumed to be pro-Wike to replace those sacked.
The terrorist group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Nigerian Delta (MEND), have since resumed the bombing of crude oil facilities in the Niger Delta region, and saying they will cripple the nation’s mono-econony driven mainly by crude oil sales.
As at now, Nigeria can no longer meet its OPEC quota, and the falling prices in the international oil market, coupled with the profligate lifestyles of the nation’s political leaders, have worsened the comatose economy.
