Fubara Slams Police Over Crackdown on Anti-Emergency Rule Protesters in Rivers
Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has condemned the Nigeria Police for what he described as their heavy-handed response to peaceful demonstrators opposing the emergency rule in the state.
Fubara’s criticism follows two separate protests by women groups in Rivers State. While demonstrators in Port Harcourt showed support for the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu, others in Ahoada East marched in protest, demanding Fubara’s reinstatement.
Last Friday, women under the banner “Rivers Women Unite for Sim” protested against the emergency declaration and called for the return of the suspended governor. On Monday, another group — “Rivers Women for Peace and Good Governance” — held a counter-protest in Port Harcourt, backing the emergency rule and expressing support for Tinubu. The group, mostly dressed in white, denied claims of being sponsored.
Led by former Social Welfare Commissioner Inime Aguma, the pro-emergency protesters praised the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retd.) as Sole Administrator, citing improved peace and governance in the state.
“We are here to thank the President for restoring order. The state legislature had been crippled, and that made true democracy impossible,” Aguma told journalists. She also called for investigations into corruption allegations made by former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, against the previous administration.
However, the protest in Ahoada East turned chaotic when security operatives fired teargas at about 200 women from Elleye and Engine communities protesting against the emergency rule and the appointment of a sole administrator. Videos from the scene showed women crying and fleeing after inhaling teargas, with some elderly protesters needing assistance.
Despite attempts by police to halt their demonstration, the Ahoada protesters carried placards reading messages like “We want Fubara,” “Ibas leave us alone,” and “Our democracy is threatened.”
Reacting, Jerry Omatsogunwa, Special Adviser on Electronic Media to the suspended governor, praised the Ahoada protesters as “heroes of democracy” and condemned the police for what he called a double standard in their handling of the two protests.
“It’s disturbing that peaceful protesters in Ahoada were teargassed, while the Port Harcourt group, who openly supported unconstitutional actions, received full police protection,” Omatsogunwa said.
He also accused the state’s sole administrator, Ibas, of harboring political ambitions in his home state of Cross River and using his position in Rivers for personal gain.
The political crisis in Rivers State escalated into full-blown conflict before President Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected state lawmakers. Vice Admiral Ibas was appointed to oversee the state during the emergency period.
The declaration, backed by both chambers of the National Assembly, has been challenged by 11 PDP governors, who filed a suit at the Supreme Court questioning the President’s authority to suspend a democratically elected government.
The PDP has assembled a legal team of 11 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and six other lawyers to contest the emergency rule, while the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), is preparing the federal government’s legal defense.
