Tension erupted at the Rivers State Government House on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, as aides and security personnel attached to outgoing Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd.) staged a dramatic protest over unpaid allowances and entitlements.
In a video seen the personnel could be heard shouting, “We are not doing again, we are tired. Hard labour, suffering. For what?” The protesters accused Ibas of attempting to “sneak away” with the state’s wealth while leaving them empty-handed, ahead of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s scheduled return to office on Thursday.
Eyewitnesses told News Express that the scene was chaotic, with aides and security operatives openly confronting the embattled administrator. “The aides were furious, claiming he wanted to pack out of office without settling them,” a source said. “They accused him of trying to leave them empty-handed after benefiting from the state’s resources.”
The protest grew tense enough to attract the intervention of top Government House officials, who rushed to calm the crowd. After repeated appeals and vague assurances that their demands would be addressed, the protesters eventually dispersed, restoring a semblance of order.
Ibas had earlier declared that the emergency mandate given to him by President Bola Tinubu in March had been “sufficiently achieved” following the conclusion of local government elections and the swearing-in of elected officials across the state. He praised the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for a peaceful and credible process, stating that the elections marked a return to full democratic governance.
The retired Naval Chief was appointed earlier this year amid political tension between Governor Fubara and former Rivers State Governor, now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. While a reconciliation brokered by President Tinubu has eased the crisis and paved the way for Fubara’s return, Wednesday’s protest highlights lingering discontent among government aides and security personnel, casting a shadow over what was expected to be a smooth transition of power.
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