In the wake of President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, critical voices have emerged challenging the official narrative surrounding the recent pipeline explosion that precipitated the federal intervention.
Solomon Lenu, a prominent Ogoni activist and stakeholder in Rivers State, has publicly disputed claims that a pipeline explosion was the catalyst for the emergency declaration. In a video clip released by News Central TV from 2:47, Lenu asserted that the so-called explosion was, in fact, a deliberate act of sabotage aimed at discrediting the state governor.
The words of Lenu read, “there is this issue that is trending that there was a pipeline explosion in Rivers State and that it is because of this that the President declared Rivers a state of emergency.
“Well, if that was what the state of emergency was hinged on, then the government of Nigeria has been deceived because I can tell you that aside from being a critical stakeholder in Rivers State, I am also from Ogoni, and I went there the moment the information came in the morning to take a look at the place where the explosion occurred, and I can tell you that what they are calling an explosion today, it is quite unfortunate because there was nothing like an explosion,” he said.
He further added that “it is just a well-orchestrated sabotage that was carried out by those who wanted to paint the governor of Rivers State black.