There will be no room for lawlessness. No space for violence and no patience for actions that threaten our collective well-being. We will not act arbitrarily
Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, who is the sole administrator of Rivers State, stated yesterday that his job is to restore law and order, stabilize the polity, and provide the required atmosphere for the full restoration of democratic institutions through the establishment of the essential conditions.
Yesterday evening, Ibas made this information public through a broadcast that took place at the Government House in Port Harcourt, a few hours after he took office.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency, and the National Assembly gave its approval to the declaration yesterday. Ibas was able to resume his role as administrator as a result of the patriotic action taken by the parliamentarians, which had been praised by the President.
Ibas said, “Those who seek to sabotage the social or economic stability of Rivers State and national infrastructure and institutions within the state or who attempt to disrupt the peace for selfish or destructive gains, will find no tolerance for their actions.
“There will be no room for lawlessness. No space for violence and no patience for actions that threaten our collective well-being. We will not act arbitrarily.
“But neither will we hesitate to enforce the law when necessary. Let no one be in doubt, we will uphold justice and fairness but we will also ensure that civil order prevails.
Following the meeting, Ibas expressed his appreciation for the peaceful manner in which the people had conducted themselves.He made a solemn promise to do everything in his power to maintain peace throughout the state.
“Thank you for what you’ve been doing so far. You all know that I just got in here and decided to meet with the Head of Service, the permanent secretaries and the service commanders.
“Port Harcourt is my city and everything appears calm, but we just want Port Harcourt to get back to what it has always been.”