President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.

In their place, he has appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Retd.) as the Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs.

Who Is Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas?

Early Life and Education
Born on September 27, 1960, in Nko, Cross River State, Ibas attended Nko Primary School and later Big Qua Primary School in Calabar, completing his primary education in 1971. He proceeded to Hope Waddell Training Institute (1972–1976) and later attended the School of Basic Studies, Ogoja, from 1977 to 1979. His military career began at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) on June 20, 1979, as part of the 26th Regular Course, and he was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant on January 1, 1983.

Naval Career
Ibas held several key positions in the Nigerian Navy. As a midshipman, he served aboard NNS Ruwan Yaro, NNS Obuma, and NNS Aradu. After his commissioning, he was a watchkeeping officer on NNS Ayam and NNS Ekpe. Between 1993 and 1996, he served as the Executive Officer of NNS Siri, NNS Ekun, and NNS Ambe.

In July 2015, he was appointed as the 22nd Chief of Naval Staff, a position he held until his retirement in January 2021.

Diplomatic Role
Following his retirement, Ibas was appointed as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ghana in 2021, further solidifying his experience in leadership and governance.

His Role as Rivers State Administrator

As the new Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibas is expected to restore order and ensure effective governance in Rivers State during this period of emergency. President Tinubu has assured that the judicial arm of the state remains unaffected by the suspension and will continue to carry out its constitutional duties.