PRESS STATEMENT
In a disturbing show of force, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), on Friday 25, April, ordered naval personnel to storm the official residence of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State and forcibly remove three vehicles.
The naval officers, acting on the direct instruction of the Sole Administrator, carried out the operation in a commando-style raid, taking away two Toyota Hilux vehicles and one Toyota Hiace Bus. The brazen action took place in the early hours of the day and has since sparked widespread condemnation across the state.
This development marks a new low in the ongoing disregard for due process and democratic norms under the current administration. The action is viewed by many observers as a targeted provocation, intended to intimidate and humiliate the office of the Deputy Governor, which remains a constitutionally recognized institution.
We call on well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organizations, and the international community to take note of this growing trend of militarization and impunity in Rivers State. It is imperative that those in positions of authority act within the bounds of the law and uphold the dignity of democratic institutions.
The people of Rivers State deserve governance rooted in law, not in brute force.
[SIGNED]
Elder Vincent Chimene Wopara
Spokesperson, Democracy Watch Nigeria
