Tensions have escalated in Rivers State following the retrieval of three official vehicles from the residence of the suspended Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Nma Odu. The action, reportedly ordered by the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retired), has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups and political observers.
As reported by Vanguard on May 1, 2025, a team of military personnel, believed to be naval officers, along with state government officials, stormed Odu’s residence in Port Harcourt and removed the vehicles. The operation, described by witnesses as forceful and abrupt, involved the seizure of two Toyota Hilux vans and one Toyota Hiace bus.
Democracy Watch Nigeria condemned the act, calling it a clear abuse of power. In a statement released in Port Harcourt, the group’s spokesperson, Elder Vincent Chimene Wopara, said, “In a disturbing show of force, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas, on Friday, 25 April, ordered naval personnel to storm the official residence of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State and forcibly remove three vehicles.”
Wopara added, “The naval officers, acting on the direct instruction of the Sole Administrator, carried out the operation in a commando style raid, taking away two Toyota Hilux vehicles and one Toyota Hiace bus… This development marks a new low in the ongoing disregard for due process and democratic norms under the current administration.”
The group called on civil society groups and the international community to take note of what they see as growing acts of impunity and the militarisation of governance in the state.
In reaction, the Rivers State Government confirmed the retrieval of the vehicles, but insisted it was a lawful action meant to safeguard government property. In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Sole Administrator, Hector Igbikiowubo, the government accused critics of twisting a simple administrative process for political gain.
The statement questioned why the vehicles remained at the Deputy Governor’s residence weeks after her suspension. “We question the motives of those politicising this matter. What legitimate purpose did these vehicles serve in the suspended Deputy Governor’s premises over one month after the declaration of a state of emergency?” it read.
The government urged the public to ignore sensational accounts and focus on the administration’s commitment to restoring order and responsible governance in Rivers State.
Love Reading Authentic News Stories, Click The Button Below
