A group of women in Rivers state filed out in their numbers to stage a protest over the declaration of a State of Emergency in their state as well as the suspension of the governor, Sim Fubara. The women dressed in black with their traditional wrapper tied around them, marched around major roads in the state, carrying different placards with inscriptions expressing their disapproval of the State of Emergency. Some of their placards read ‘’Bring Back Fubara', ‘’We support Fubara''.
On March 18, President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In a national broadcast, President Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the declaration.
As part of the directive, the President also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored. Ibas served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
