Tensions in Rivers State have escalated as a militant group, the Niger Delta Rescue Movement, threatened to attack oil installations in response to the ongoing political crisis and the alleged withholding of the state’s federal allocation.
The group also issued a warning to non-indigenes in the state, urging them to leave for their safety, as they claimed hostilities were imminent.
In response, the Rivers State Police Command vowed to crack down on any threats to national security, insisting that no group has the monopoly on violence.
The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, assured residents that security forces were prepared to contain any disruptions, warning that law enforcement would not tolerate attempts to destabilise the state.
Adepoju dismissed the threats by the militants or others, saying the police were equal to the task.
He stated, “You see, we are taking this thing one step at a time. There is nobody that has a monopoly of violence. If fire is coming from heaven, it will not consume only one person, definitely everybody will be consumed.
“So, nobody can threaten anybody, we are handling the situation the way we should and we are ready for anything that is going to come.
“All eyes are on Rivers State now. I don’t think there is any problem here really, but we will not allow anybody to heat the polity.
“You cannot fight the government and the governor himself has been handling the situation very maturely and well. So nothing will happen. The man on the ground (governor) is peaceful and God is on the throne and we are equal to the task.”
The state has been experiencing a political crisis since 2023, while the latest Supreme Court judgments validating the 27 lawmakers loyal to the former governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, created another round of political crisis.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, February 28, 2025, affirmed the legitimacy of the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly and nullified the local government election held on October 5, 2024.
The apex court also ordered the seizure of all allocations to the state, asking Fubara to re-submit the budget to the Assembly.
Since the judgments, the Amaewhule-led Assembly has, through its sittings, threatened the Fubara’s administration in the state to affirm its authority.
On Monday, it gave the governor 48 hours to submit the budget while on Wednesday, it nullified the appointment of all commissioners and other appointees of the governor and asked the governor to submit appointees’ name for screening in 48 hours.
The budget ultimatum expired on Wednesday, while the submission of names of commissioners for screening would expire today.
Reacting to the threat, a viral video circulating on social media on Thursday shows about eight militants armed with AK-47s and other assorted rifles in a forested area, chanting war songs and vowing to disrupt oil production unless the Federal Government intervenes to resolve the political impasse.
The chant of “asawana, asawana,” a common slogan among the Ijaw people of the Niger Delta, is heard as the militants brandish their weapons in the video.
The militants accused the Martin Amaewhule-led state House of Assembly of instigating chaos to justify a state of emergency.
Dissociating himself from any link with the militants, the governorship candidate of the National Rescue Movement in the 2023 election, Amb Sobomabo Jackrich, at a news briefing, clarified that the video and the militants have no link with him or his party.
He stated, “My attention has been drawn to a recent video circulating online, purportedly released by a group identified as the Niger Delta Rescue Movement, threatening to resume hostilities in response to the 48-hour ultimatum issued to Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly.
“I wish to make the following clarifications regarding this video. One, no link between my party and the group. I’m deeply concerned about the name of the group as it bears a striking resemblance to my political party.
“Being the leader of the party, the National Rescue Movement in Rivers State, I categorically distance my party from any link, affiliation or connection with the group.
“The NRM remains a law-abiding political party committed to democratic principles and peaceful engagements,” he said.
Jackrish, who is the leader of the ‘Simplified Movement’ in Rivers State, a pro-Fubara political pressure group, stated, called on security agencies to remain vigilant and not fall for the deceitful antics of those seeking to frame him for their selfish political gains.
The ex-governorship candidate, who is also a sub-contractor with the Tantita Security Service Nigeria Ltd, further said the militants in the video had no link with the security outfit.
He explained, “In the video, I observed that one of the individuals was wearing yellow rain boots, a black polo, and jeans – an attire similar to that worn by personnel of my outfit of the Tantita Security Services. I’m a sub-contractor to Tantita Security Outfit.
“Our colour which is known in Rivers State, is black long sleeve, black jeans or trousers and yellow rain boots.
“The team leads are putting on red berets and the members wear black berets. That is our outfit. Now if you look at the video you will see that some persons wore yellow rain boots, which struck my attention,
“And that is what I’m trying to correct, that we are not into such criminal activities. So I dissociate myself from them. I don’t know the people.”
He also exonerated the defunct Niger Delta Liberation Force, saying that members of the group were currently under the Presidential Amnesty Programme and no longer into militancy.
“As a leader of the defunct Niger Delta Liberation Force, it is my responsibility to also exonerate the group from seeming semblance in the name of the said militia group, because the NDLF currently is under the Presidential Amnesty Programme and no longer into its old ways,” he said.
While noting that his support for Fubara should not be criminalised or turned into an offence, Jackrich said, “I will continue to stand by what is right and no amount of intimidation will deter me from my convictions.”
The PUNCH
