Rivers State’s suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has lashed out at the Nigeria Police Force over what he described as a brazen clampdown on peaceful protesters demanding his reinstatement and the end of emergency rule in the state. His condemnation followed disturbing scenes in Ahoada East Local Government Area, where police fired teargas at elderly women and youth demonstrators.
The crisis in Rivers has intensified in recent weeks following the Federal Government’s declaration of a six-month state of emergency in the oil-rich South-South state. President Bola Tinubu’s directive led to the suspension of Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly. In their place, a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retd.), was appointed to run the affairs of the state — a move that has triggered widespread legal and political backlash.
On Monday, two opposing protests erupted in the state. In Port Harcourt, women under the banner “Rivers Women for Peace and Good Governance” staged a peaceful demonstration in support of the emergency rule and the Tinubu-led Federal Government. Clad in white, they marched from Garrison Junction to Isaac Park, chanting slogans and bearing placards that read: “Emergency Rule is Constitutional,” “We Support Tinubu,” and “Investigate Fubara’s Bloated Contracts.”
The women, led by former Commissioner for Social Welfare, Mrs. Inime Aguma, praised the Federal Government’s intervention. “We thank President Tinubu for restoring peace. Democracy was at risk — with a paralyzed legislature and mounting insecurity,” Aguma said. “The appointment of a sole administrator has brought calm and governance back to Rivers.”
However, in sharp contrast, a group of pro-Fubara protesters in Ahoada East — mostly women and community members — faced violent dispersal. Braving the early morning heat, around 200 demonstrators from Elleye and Engine communities demanded an end to the emergency rule and called for Fubara’s return.
Carrying placards with inscriptions like “Our Democracy is Threatened” and “Bring Back Sim,” the protesters were met with teargas and physical force by security operatives. Viral videos showed distressed elderly women crying and fleeing from clouds of gas, while some knelt in the streets pleading for justice.
“This is injustice at its peak,” said Jerry Omatsogunwa, Special Adviser on Electronic Media to Fubara. “Two protests, same state — one protected, the other brutalized. What kind of democracy teargasses peaceful grandmothers while protecting others chanting support for unconstitutional rule?”
Fubara’s camp has accused security agencies of bias, saying the police were aiding the suppression of pro-democracy voices while aligning with government-sponsored narratives. “We salute the bravery of Ahoada women. They are the true heroes of democracy,” Omatsogunwa added.
Meanwhile, the Rivers crisis, national drama has taken a legal twist as 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court, challenging President Tinubu’s constitutional authority to declare emergency rule in Rivers and suspend elected officials. Backed by 11 Senior Advocates of Nigeria and a team of top lawyers, the governors argue that the President’s actions violate Nigeria’s democratic principles.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), is reportedly preparing a robust legal response to defend the Federal Government’s position in court.
The unfolding political crisis in Rivers — a key economic hub for Nigeria due to its oil resources — has sparked fears of democratic erosion and regional instability. While the Federal Government insists the state of emergency was necessary to restore law and order, critics warn that it sets a dangerous precedent for federal overreach and the suppression of democratic institutions.
As the situation unfolds, all eyes remain on the Supreme Court for a landmark decision that may redefine the limits of executive power in Nigeria’s federal system.