Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has lifted the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State, ending six months of direct federal control triggered by political unrest and oil-related security concerns. The decision also restores Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the state legislature, who had been suspended when the measure was first declared.
In a statement shared on social media, President Tinubu explained that the emergency rule was originally intended “to arrest the drift toward anarchy” after tensions between the governor and state lawmakers escalated into a prolonged crisis. He noted that with relative stability now restored, there was no justification to extend the measure beyond the six months initially announced.
“This is undoubtedly a welcome development for me and a remarkable achievement for us,” Tinubu said. “I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning of it.”
The political deadlock in Rivers State began when a faction of lawmakers attempted to impeach Governor Fubara, accusing him of illegally presenting the state budget and unilaterally altering the composition of the legislature. Fubara strongly denied the allegations, dismissing them as part of a larger campaign to undermine his administration.
The crisis coincided with renewed sabotage of oil pipelines in the state, a region critical to Nigeria’s oil production and government revenue. Militants and criminal groups in the Niger Delta have for years targeted pipelines and other infrastructure, disrupting output and raising security concerns for international oil companies operating in the area.
During the emergency period, Rivers State was administered by retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, a former navy chief appointed by the federal government to oversee governance and maintain law and order. The appointment was seen as an unusual step, as emergency rule in Nigeria rarely involves suspending elected governors.
The Nigerian constitution permits the president to impose emergency rule under exceptional circumstances where public safety, law, and order are at risk. The last such instance occurred in 2013 when then-President Goodluck Jonathan declared emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency. However, in that case, the state governors were not removed from office.
By lifting the emergency rule in Rivers State, President Tinubu signaled confidence that the political crisis had subsided and that the state’s institutions could now function without federal oversight. The move is expected to calm tensions in the oil-rich region, though analysts warn that deep-seated political rivalries and security challenges could re-emerge if reconciliation efforts are not sustained.
