The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has defended the state of emergency imposed in Rivers State, stating that intelligence reports indicated that militants were already targeting oil pipelines, posing a risk to the nation’s economic stability.
Onanuga made this assertion in a reactionary piece on Sunday, titled “Imagine Rivers State Without a State of Emergency.”
State of Emergency in Rivers State
President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, leading to the six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the State House of Assembly.
In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu revealed that his efforts to mediate the ongoing political crisis in the state were ignored by the warring factions.
“The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today, there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militants, without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course, given stern orders to the security agencies to ensure the safety of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines,” Tinubu stated.
The development has sparked mixed reactions from various stakeholders across the country.
Presidency Justifies Intervention
In response to critics, Onanuga emphasized that Section 305 of Nigeria’s Constitution empowers the President to declare a state of emergency when the nation faces a breakdown of law, order, or economic security—precisely the situation in Rivers State, which is critical to Nigeria’s oil economy.
He argued that the political standoff between the State Assembly and Governor Fubara could have escalated into violence.
“Impeachment threats might have spurred attacks on lawmakers by the governor’s supporters, while militants in the creeks—primed to sabotage critical oil infrastructure—could have plunged Nigeria’s oil production back to pre-2023 lows,” Onanuga stated.
According to him, intelligence reports suggested that militants were waiting for Fubara’s signals before attacking pipelines, a move that could have crippled oil production and triggered widespread economic repercussions.
Onanuga further asserted that Tinubu’s emergency rule intervention was crucial as Rivers State serves as a major economic hub for Nigeria’s hydrocarbon industry.
He dismissed claims that the declaration undermines democracy, describing the move as temporary, surgical, and necessary to restore order rather than to suppress democratic institutions.
Reactions and Opposition
The state of emergency declaration has been met with mixed reactions.
While some see it as a necessary measure to maintain stability, others have condemned it as an overreach of executive power.
Notable political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, have rejected the emergency rule and urged the National Assembly to overturn the decision.
Meanwhile, an aide to Governor Fubara dismissed allegations of pipeline attacks, describing them as false.
“The governor cannot preach peace and non-violence, even in the face of extreme provocations, while also telegraphing attacks on oil pipelines,” the aide stated.
As debates continue, the political and security implications of the emergency rule in Rivers remain a key national concern.
